Rebirth of a Legend
by Sivam
Summary: After a botched attempt to remove Cell from Earth before his self-destruction, Gohan awakens to find himself thrust into a land completely alien to his own. Can he adapt to the world beyond, or will he be consumed by it? -Rating subject to change-
1. Chapter One

**A/N: New project time. Feels weird posting another story when I should be working on my others. To be quite honest, it was kind of exhausting and I felt like it was time for a bit of a change. This is a pilot chapter, seeing if you guys are interested in this idea. I know I've claimed to not like harems, but… it **_**is**_** a guilty pleasure for me. I am a simple man. There are **_**some**_** well-written harems out there. Not many, but there are **_**some**_**. That being said, I'm going keep pairings a complete secret. Updates will be inconsistent with no real schedule because I can't for the life of me keep my word on these sorts of things when so many things in my life change almost weekly. **

**E/N: Hey, dmoose18 here. I won't be showing up often, but I figured I'd put in my two cents on this first chapter at least. Many longtime readers of Siv's might be wondering where the new chapters of This War of Mine and Pride of Four are, and the most I can say is that neither are dead. This War of Mine will be completed come hell or high water, and Pride of Four will likely be on hiatus for a while. If anyone is wondering about the in-depth reasons, you can check Siv's profile because he explains it there. For now, though, this is our current passion project that we're working on while taking a break from the RWBY IP. So, without further ado, here's Chapter One!**

**By the way, neither of us have read the Light Novels, so for anyone that has, please excuse any unintentional retcons we do. We have watched all four seasons of the show though, and loved it.**

* * *

_Chapter One_

A barren wasteland lay in deathly silence, with all those present eagerly anticipating a conclusion to the brutal beatdown taking place.

Gohan stood perfectly still, quite a contrast to the raging golden aura surrounding his form. Small streaks of lightning flickered dangerously in his vicinity, lashing out like a wild animal. Eyes that had once held so much love and care were now imbued with fierce contempt.

The object of his hatred lay before him, broken and beaten. The manifestation of everything he despised. The craftsman that had forged him into an unforgiving and sadistic fighter was certainly reaping the rewards of his efforts. Unfortunately, those rewards amounted to kneeling in a growing pool of his own blood.

"You...you're a m-monster," the oversized green cockroach spluttered. A bit of a rude description, but an apt one in the young Saiyan's mind. Gohan couldn't help but find the bug's statement to be ironic. _He_ was the monster for bringing justice? For avenging all those who had perished? To be called a monster by such a horrendous being caused anger to well up within the nine-year-old.

"I warned you," he chided, lacking any empathy whatsoever. "I told you, push me too far and I'll break. But you refused to listen. They say curiosity killed the cat, but to see it play out right in front of me is amusing." Flaring his aura even more, a vicious smirk spread across his face. "You got tangled up in your ball of yarn, and now it's choking you to death."

The young fighter began calmly strolling forward, his head held high as he glared down at his quarry. If Cell was a kitten, then Gohan was a lion on the prowl. His body was loose and ready to pounce at a moments notice, his eyes sharp and locked onto his target. Every step he took sent visible chills down his prey's spine. He reveled in that fear. His hands trembled slightly as if they had a mind of their own. They were begging him to let them pummel the bastard before him into paste. Hopefully, the feeling of killing this monster would bring him satisfaction.

"Stay away from me!" the insect gasped, attempting to crawl away.

Gohan somehow suppressed the urge to laugh.

"You were so excited to fight me before, Cell. Where did all that bravado go!?" Gohan roared, appearing before the monster, his movement almost instantaneous to all those watching the fight. His amusement was gone, the smirk wiped clean, replaced with stone-faced fury. "It's not so fun when you're losing, is it? How do you feel, knowing that you're going to die and there's nothing you can do to stop it?"

The boy raised a hand, a ball of energy sparking to life within it. Cell's gaze dropped to the steadily increasing mass of ki, eyes somehow widening even more in fear.

"Imagine for a moment," the hybrid-Saiyan started, his tone sharp. "Every person you've killed. Right now, you're getting a small taste of their fear, their helplessness, their anger, right before you ripped their life away."

"N-No!" the pathetic creature stammered. Gohan ignored its pleas, simply continued to allow the energy blast in his palm to grow. "Stay back!" the android cried, shooting to its feet and putting distance between them once more. It roared, flexing its arms and powering up. Gohan felt the monster's ki skyrocket to dangerous levels. What could the pathetic abomination be up to now? It was cornered with no way out.

Its muscles started to bulge, its body wildly increasing in size.

"_This trick again,_" Gohan thought, almost rolling his eyes in the process. "_Maybe this time I could get the other android it absorbed out-_" he paused his train of thought. No, something wasn't right. Cell's energy was increasing with a haste that wasn't natural at all. Its energy had surpassed its previously stated full power and wasn't showing any signs of stopping. He was missing a critical piece of the puzzle.

Dissipating the blast he'd been charging and taking a stance, Gohan readied himself for the unexpected, his mind jumpstarting and racing to analyze the possibilities that could occur within the next couple of seconds.

Cell was now far too big to move even at a fraction of its speed. Gohan was sure anybody could outpace it now, which confused him even more. There was no way Cell intended to fight like this, and its body only seemed to get bigger.

The monster was cornered with no way out.

Cell knew it.

Gohan knew it.

Everyone watching knew it.

Then the realization struck Gohan like a ton of bricks as a vivid memory played through his head. Android Sixteen had attempted to use a bomb in his chest to destroy Cell. It seemed like a built-in last resort. He was told that all the other Androids had one. However, while they were cyborgs, Cell was purely organic.

Then a memory played from his earlier childhood when Nappa and Vegeta had come to Earth. The unforgettable memory of Chiaotzu sacrificing himself to try and kill the large invading Saiyan.

"You coward!" Gohan roared at the bloated insect. Cell boomed with manic laughter.

"My game, my rules! If I'm going to lose, I'm taking everyone on this planet with me!"

Gohan heard the collective gasps of his father and his friends. Their window of opportunity was closing fast, and the half-Saiyan prodigy had yet to come up with a plan. Due to his insatiable desire to watch the monster suffer, he had foolishly allowed Cell to reach this moment of desperation. But if he acted quickly, there might be a way to fix his mistake.

The countdown had started…

Gohan took a deep breath, calming his nerves. Now wasn't the time to lose it. If he did, everyone would die. His father, his friends, mother, grandfather… everyone. He couldn't let that happen. His mistakes were his to clean up. He had allowed the intoxicating power to seduce him into a state of violent ecstasy. Now, a plan had to be formed.

Gohan flashed forward, kicking up dirt as he sped across the barren wasteland towards his target. He maneuvered himself under Cell, placed both hands on the backside of the enlarged android, and began to push with all his might. If the android was going to explode, the only solution he could think of was to move the explosion as far away from the Earth as possible. Cell currently had enough energy to vaporize the entire planet. That left one destination.

Space.

Gohan knew he couldn't breathe in space, so he was just going to have to hold his breath and use an energy barrier to keep himself alive until he had guaranteed the safety of Earth and his family. He flew at breakneck speeds, carrying Cell to the upper atmosphere, being careful not to pop the monster like a balloon.

"S-Stop! This won't work! I know what you're trying to do!" Cell yelled. Gohan ignored the words, continuing to make his way into outer-space. He had to push Cell a great deal away. What came next, the half-Saiyan was still trying to piece together. He swore he could hear his father and his friends cries, pleading Gohan not to do it.

The boy had to admit, it was a suicide mission.

If Cell exploded up here, he wouldn't have enough time to get back down before the blast engulfed him, and Cell's energy only continued to grow despite the desperate maneuver. It became increasingly clear that Gohan didn't have enough time. He had to think of something else quickly.

Maybe… it was a gamble, but…

"_If I blast him with everything I have, maybe I can redirect the explosion away from Earth…_" Gohan thought as he released his grip on Cell. The deathly silence of space silenced all of Cell's words. Gohan couldn't hear anything but the blood pumping through his ear, and his ever-present fierce heart-beat. Time slowed down, almost to a fraction of what it was.

The son of Goku cupped his hands, the legendary Kamehameha wave charging as quickly as he could muster. Cell was on the verge of exploding, his fat, blob-like appearance beginning to bulge outwards. His energy was beginning to expand. He had seconds… less than that.

"_I'll be caught in the explosion regardless. My death is certain._"

He wasn't scared, unlike the many times he had been before. On Earth against the Saiyans… on Namek against the Freeza force and the galactic tyrant himself. No, this time was different. Gohan felt that despite knowing his death was a certainty now, it had meaning to it. People feared a meaningless death. A death where you are defeated and achieved nothing.

This wouldn't be one of them.

It was time to lay down the cards on the metaphorical table.

Gohan threw his hands forward, crying out a silent Kamehameha that was drowned out by the silence of space. The massive wave of energy thundered toward Cell with no resistance. Gohan was going all in on this gamble. There was no other way out of this situation.

The energy blast crashed into the monster.

All Hell broke loose.

A light, dwarfing the brightness of the sun itself erupted from where Cell had been. It ate away at the Kamehameha wave, but in that instant, Gohan could see that his gamble was paying off. The self-destruction wave was being pushed by the Kamehameha's force. Would it be enough though? As each second passed, the boy noticed that his attack was being swallowed by Cell's last gambit.

"_As long as I save Earth, my life is forfeit._"

The light approached him, surrounding him.

There was no pain.

Seconds passed, then there was only darkness.

=/=

* * *

=/=

Serafall Leviathan was bored.

Well, perhaps not bored, but more so weary of the typical daily routine she'd found herself in. Being one of the four Satans had its perks, but by and large, she found her position as the new Leviathan to be quite dull. She loathed her bureaucratic duties, so any free time she could get was to be treasured and used on the most important things. Which, of course, was either spending time with her adorable sister Sona, or magical girl related activities. Currently, it was the latter, as she was sitting upside down in the backyard of her estate reading the latest volume of her favorite magical girl manga. However, even that wasn't enough to shake the raincloud of apathy that hung over her head today.

She sat on a bench situated between two sakura trees. The sound of running water echoed from the fountain in front of her. Her backyard was rather luxurious, as was to be expected of a Satan's estate. Her property spanned hundreds of acres, as far as the eye could see. Even after all this time, Serafall still found the amount of territory she inherited with her position to be slightly overwhelming.

She had never met him though. He perished a long time ago, along with the biblical God and the other original Satans.

A sigh escaped her lips.

It wasn't as though she was a stranger to grandeur. The Sitri clan was extremely wealthy, as were the other remaining clans of the 72 pillars. She was the perfect picture of a spoiled child, gifted with overwhelming power and talent from a young age, traits that led her down the path of becoming the strongest female devil. However, she never really felt that she needed all of the wealth and perks given to her through her family, she was capable enough to do things on her own damn it! When she was younger, having servants tend to her every want or need wasn't a choice, her parents simply forced it to happen. But ever since then, things had been different. She had no need for them, so she'd never acquired any, regardless of how difficult it sometimes was to be a Satan without any help.

It wasn't like the concepts of teamwork and needing help were foreign to her, quite the contrary. The Old Satan Faction would never have been defeated without working together with her friends. But the government workers she presided over as head of Foreign Affairs were more than enough help, and so, she refused all other offers because they were unnecessary. Regardless, she was the Leviathan, one of the four most powerful beings in the underworld. Her life should have been perfect, and in many respects it was. There was one lingering issue that she'd never taken care of...

Serafall Leviathan had no peerage.

Another sigh escaped her.

Sirzechs often teased her about her lack of peerage. Even Sona and Rias already had their Queens. Nearly all of the upper-class underworld had a peerage, except for her. It wasn't as though she didn't have opportunities, there were plenty of offers made to her. But it never felt right, and so she declined them all. Maybe it was an extension of her belief that she didn't need help from underlings, or maybe she just hadn't met the right people yet? Nobody had stood out enough for her to even consider the idea. Rating games were never of interest to her, and even though many disapproved of the Leviathan not having a peerage, nobody was brave enough to truly make a fuss about it for fear of offending one of the heroes of the Civil War.

Besides, she was far too busy with her work as the new Leviathan. Rumors of a rising faction called the 'Khaos Brigade' had Sirzechs and herself worried. She'd tried going to the other factions for help, but Azazel had been rather quiet as of late and Michael had been unhelpful as ever. Even though they only appeared to be rumors for now, where there's smoke there's usually fire, so an investigation was warranted.

The sky suddenly rumbled, gray clouds rolling in overhead. Raindrops started to fall around the Satan girl, signaling that maybe it was time to head back inside the mansion. An indignant pout crossed her face as she closed her manga and slid it underneath her top so it wouldn't get wet. You'd think as a Satan-Class devil whose clan's magic revolved around _water_, she'd be able to control the weather around her estate.

Nope.

As she began walking back to her home, the sky thundered again. However, this time it garnered her attention. She felt a surge of energy, enough for her to slightly panic and wonder if she was under attack. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she whipped her head to the sky. The ominous clouds had darkened even further, and, at their center, a disturbance began to form.

The sky split open, like a crack in the fabric of reality. Out of it, a dot fell. The moment this speck fell out, the crack disappeared, as if it had never existed. Serafall's first guess was that it was the Dimensional Gap. She had every reason to believe that's what it was. She had been there twice in her life. It was an infinite void, space where nothing existed aside from Great Red. And this small dot that continued to fall was certainly not Great Red.

So then… what was it?

Serafall's eyes followed the falling object, observing as it got close enough for her to get a rough estimate of what it was. Her eyes widened when she realized it was a person!

Utilizing her magic, she teleported to where the person would land. She readied herself as the figure got closer. Raising her hands and jumping up to meet the person, she caught them with ease and landed back on the ground. Shock flooded her mind as she examined what she had caught.

A boy, no older than ten, laid in her arms barely breathing. He was clearly wounded, almost lethally so. Gashes, lacerations, and burn marks littered his body like a killer's art project. The purple clothing he wore was nearly ripped to shreds and his hair was matted with blood. Her mind raced with questions, ones she knew she wouldn't get the answers to until this boy was capable of speaking.

Teleporting to her room, she quickly placed the boy on her bed.

Healing magic wasn't exactly her forte, but she was skilled enough at it to at least ease the burden of these injuries. She immediately began working, doing her best to heal the critical injuries first before moving on to the minor ones. Serafall was astounded that he was even still breathing! Some of these injuries should have claimed his life by now.

"You are really something else," she muttered quietly. Once she had stabilized the child, she allowed her mind to roam freely as she tended to the minor wounds. She sensed no demonic energy from the boy, so he clearly wasn't a Devil. No holy power either, so the possibility of him being a fallen angel or an angel from Heaven was ruled out. If he wasn't from any of the three factions, then what _was_ he?

"_Human…? No, that's absurd. No human can withstand that kind of damage,_" she thought to herself. Her mind bounced between inconclusive ideas, and eventually, she gave up on trying to rationalize this situation. Her best bet was that he had some kind of Sacred Gear that kept him alive… but if that was it, she would have sensed it the moment she touched him. Nothing about this boy made sense.

Once she had finished healing, she removed his clothes and with a snap of her fingers, changed the bedsheets and dressed him in more comfortable sleeping attire. She tucked him soundly into her bed and watched him sleep for a few moments. Turning, she pulled up a chair and sat down facing the bed, her legs resting on the end of the mattress.

"Not a Devil, Fallen Angel, or an Angel," Serafall murmured, listing off the possible races he could be. He had fallen out what could only be the Dimensional Gap, and she knew that nothing could survive in there. Even the strongest of Devils wouldn't last a second without proper protection. This boy appeared to be only human. It was ludicrous to think he survived for any amount of time in a place like that.

Serafall paused for a moment, realizing she had been chewing on one of her nails. She didn't like being in the dark about things. It frustrated her to no end when Sona managed to hide things from her, but that was nothing compared to the boy in front of her. If Sona's secrets were a regular Rubix cube, this situation was a hundred sided one.

She'd ask Sirzechs for help, but she wasn't sure what he'd be able to discern if she couldn't figure this out.

Her best bet was to wait for the boy to wake up.

=/=

* * *

=/=

It took an entire day for the boy to show any signs of recovery.

Serafall had kept a close eye on him, opting to do her work in the bedroom in case he woke up. She had many questions that needed answering to satisfy her curiosity. She was in the process of writing a letter to Sirzechs detailing her thoughts on some of the latest policies and laws in the underworld, as well as concerns about rising Devil clans that had shown themselves to be rather rebellious. However, the shuffling of sheets broke her concentration. She turned to see the boy blink the sleep out of his eyes, turning his head on the pillow to get a better look at the room he found himself in. Serafall could see the slight confusion in his eyes. She clapped her hands together, a smile gracing her face.

"Good morning, sleepy head~!" she sang. Gohan turned to the source of the voice and sat up. He rubbed his eyes, trying to make sure he wasn't still dreaming. His stiff body was a confirmation of being lucid. "How do you feel? Any agonizing pain?" she asked with a bright grin that absolutely contrasted the nature of the question.

"Uh…" Gohan wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. His brain was still processing the words that had come out of the girl's mouth. The first thing that occurred to him was that he didn't feel dead at all. Granted, he had never felt what it was like to be dead, but his father had told him what happened once he passed on. Bright clouds, a pathway, and King Yemma. So far, the boy wasn't seeing any signs of that. "No, I feel fine. A bit stiff, but in one piece."

"That's great to hear! Nice to know my healing magic still works wonders," Serafall boasted. "You really were in bad shape when you dropped into my hands! Do you remember what happened?"

He did, as clear as day. Gohan remembered destroying Cell just as he exploded. The added force of the Kamehameha wave along with the self-destruction would have atomized the monster. There would be nothing left of him after that, not a single cell to spare. Had he saved Earth? If he was still alive, that had to be the case, right?

"Yeah, I was fighting. Decided to take a gamble and… I think it worked," Gohan responded in a more cheerful mood. "So, where am I exactly?"

"Well, you happen to be in the Underworld. A very special part of the Underworld. My home! I'm still curious as to how you exactly got here, but I suppose the Dimensional Gap could drop you anywhere," Serafall replied, her smile ever present. Gohan, however, was no longer reciprocating her happiness.

"Wait, Underworld?" he asked, his voice wavering slightly. Serafall nodded gleefully, totally missing his apprehension.

Silence reigned between the two as Gohan stared at her warily, trying to figure out exactly who she was and what was going on. If he was in Hell, that meant he would have already been judged by King Yemma, but that made even less sense. He hadn't done anything bad in his life! He fought to protect people and had never taken a life unless the situation called for it! How could his soul be sent to Hell?

But then again, he still didn't feel dead. Maybe he should just ask?

"So...does that mean I'm dead?"

"N-No! Not at all!" Serafall quickly corrected with wide eyes, hands waving out in front of her in a placating gesture. This caused Gohan to tilt his head in confusion, to which the Satan girl to chuckled nervously. "Just because you're in the Underworld doesn't mean you're dead, silly! If you had died, you'd be in a completely different part! You'd probably be dealing with Hades if that was the case."

Well, that was good to know. Considering that his dad had never been to Hell, the stories he'd been told of the afterlife treated it as little more than a footnote. Seeing as she seemed friendly enough and he had no knowledge of Hell he would have to take this girl's word at face value for now. Speaking of which, he still had no clue who he was speaking to.

"Who exactly are you?" Gohan questioned curiously. Serafall's grin widened.

"I'm Serafall Leviathan, one of the four all-powerful rulers of the Underworld! Currently, your caretaker," she finished with a beaming smile. Gohan leaned back a little, caught off guard by her overwhelming enthusiasm. She seemed very bubbly and outspoken. "Can I have yours? I gave you mine… it's only fair," she said in a rather lewd manner, although the innuendo went straight over the half-Saiyan's head.

"I'm Son Gohan. It's nice to meet you, Ms. Leviathan."

"Aw, aren't you just adorable!? So well mannered! I wish Sona was more like this," Serafall lamented with mock sadness. Gohan chuckled weakly as he removed the sheets and stepped out of the bed. The urge to stretch had him reaching for the ceiling, while also letting out an involuntary yawn. Serafall looked him up and down, only now taking the time to really examine the boy, rather than fussing over keeping him alive.

The boy was incredibly muscular and fit, that was for sure. He also looked to be only a few inches shorter than her. Judging by his size and tone of voice alone, Serafall thought him to be at _least_ twelve or thirteen. She wasn't particularly tall herself, and it didn't look like Sona was going to be all that gifted in height either. Despite all that, she was proud of her petite looks. Her chest size wasn't lacking, but she knew there were far more impressive feminine figures in the Underworld. Sirzechs also made a point about teasing her on this account as well.

"Would you like anything to eat?"

"Uh, sure," Gohan replied with slight uncertainty. "Although, I really think I should be getting home soon. My mom and everyone else at home are probably really worried about me."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Serafall reassured turning away. The moment he couldn't see her face, she grimaced slightly. Something in the pit of her stomach told her it was going to be more complicated than that. The boy appeared out of a crack in the sky, very obviously the Dimensional Gap. Returning home wasn't going to be as simple as he made it out to be.

Gohan shrugged, opting to follow her.

The two journeyed toward the kitchen, and Gohan wasn't exactly sure how long it would take to get there. This place was a mansion, a very _big_ mansion at that. Five minutes of walking just to get to the other end of the house. The two of them made idle chatter as they walked, Serafall asking what his favorite foods were and if he was on any diets. As the two finally made it to the kitchen, the half-Saiyan had a strange realization.

He hadn't seen anyone on the way here. In fact, the entire mansion was completely silent. The place screamed royalty to him in all ways but one. In a place like this, he felt it would be normal to see maids and butlers walking around.

"Is it always like this?" Gohan queried as the two entered a rather small room. It had a single cooking space, a table, and a few chairs.

"This place is so big, but it's really quiet," the boy added as he pulled up a chair. As the half-Saiyan took a seat, Serafall walked over to the kitchen appliances and snapped one of her fingers. Glyphs appeared all around the room, turning things on and moving cooking equipment around. Gohan found himself entranced by the spectacle, watching in wonder.

He wondered momentarily, what kind of technique allowed her to do that!?

"I live alone, mostly. I don't really like having servants around the house, I can do stuff plenty well on my own," she responded with a huff. "Having people around tends to distract me from my work and other hobbies, so I keep the property tidy and do the cooking myself. It's not that bad, my sister comes to visit every now and then," the Satan girl responded cheerfully. Her tone indicated that she truly didn't mind the isolation. It wasn't that hard to believe she was fine on her own, but it did seem rather strange to Gohan that she'd live in such a large property all by herself. He asked Serafall to explain.

"This place isn't _really_ mine," she corrected him. "I inherited it with the title. My real name is Serafall Sitri, and I was previously a part of the Sitri clan. It's a very powerful and influential family here in the Underworld. One of the few Devil clans to survive the Great War. Of the 72 Pillars, only 33 remain, and the Sitri clan is among them," Serafall explained in a heartbeat.

Gohan hadn't understood a single word she had said. Well, that wasn't entirely true, he did understand to a point. What stumped him was the information about the 'Pillars' or whatever they were, and Devil clans? He didn't even know where to begin with deciphering that.

"Uh," Gohan started, slightly unsure of what to say. "What changed?"

"I was elevated to a position of power. 'Leviathan' is the name of one of the previous Satans that ruled the Underworld. When he died along with the other three Satans, there was a massive power struggle here along with a civil war. The side that I was on won the war, and as such myself and three other leaders of our side were appointed the new Satans. With that, we took on the titles of the old Satans, and I was given Leviathan," Serafall explained with a lamenting sigh. "I lost my previous title as heir to the Sitri clan, which went to my little sister when she was born."

All this talk of 'Satans' was reminding the boy of that lunatic who had tried to fight Cell before his father, Mr. Satan. He made the extremely well-educated guess that these 'Satans' had absolutely no relation to that joke of a man, but that didn't answer the question of what they were other than rulers. As Gohan processed the new information he'd been given, Serafall finished cooking. Appearing in front of him in a bright violet flash was a plate of pancakes and other delicacies that made his mouth water. He _was_ hungry, considering that he hadn't eaten in at least a day or so.

Perhaps going home could wait a while longer?

"So," Serafall started with a knowing grin, placing down her own food and sitting across from him. "Why don't you tell me about yourself? I'm _very_ interested to know about the boy who fell from the sky straight into my arms~" she finished in a rather dreamy tone. Gohan laughed a little while his mouth was full. If that's really how he'd gotten here, it did sound kind of like the beginning to a fantasy adventure story.

"Well, what do you want to know?" the half-Saiyan asked as he finished his bite.

"Where you come from, what's it like there… you know, the usual stuff."

"Oh, right, well… I live out in the East District with my Mom and my Dad. We're not too far from Orange Star City. My Mom was actually planning on enrolling me there when I turned sixteen," he said in fond recollection. Serafall's eyebrows twitched at the name. "I'm mostly homeschooled and I practice martial arts as a hobby, I train with my Dad and his friends."

Now, Serafall wasn't about to admit her geography skills when it came to Earth were anything special. However, as one of the four great Satans of the Underworld, and _especially_ as the head of Foreign Affairs, she felt it necessary to educate herself on the lands of Earth. She was pretty sure that Orange Star City didn't exist. A name like that would stand out.

"Oh, okay. So, Orange Star City is the closest residential area to you? Is that, uh… in Japan? Or…?" Serafall trailed off. Gohan's expression morphed into one of puzzlement.

"Japan?"

"_Oh boy,_" Serafall thought, visibly forcing herself to smile. "I wouldn't worry about it. It's uh… not important right now," she laughed weakly. Gohan seemed to notice her somewhat nervous demeanor but didn't want to point it out. "So you said you liked martial arts? How good are you? Kicked any bad guy butt recently?" she asked jokingly as she made a show of shadow boxing to her side.

Flashes of recent memories gave Gohan a slight pause. His actions of beating down Cell without a shred of mercy and his unrelenting intent to kill disturbed him now that he had a chance to reflect on it. He had never been that bloodthirsty or cruel before. He almost felt like Vegeta, it was a sobering thought.

"Gohan?"

"Huh?"

The boy looked up, realizing that his head had sunken and he'd slipped into his memories without noticing. Serafall had since stopped her theatrics and looked to him with genuine concern. Now that he'd thought of Cell, a lot of uncertainties were brought up all of a sudden. Since he had woken up, it had been pushed to the back of his mind. Now, he was wondering if he had succeeded at all. Something definitely didn't feel right about this situation. Serafall had told him he was in the Underworld when he had woken up. The Underworld was just another word for Hell, which meant he was no longer on Earth. However, she claimed he hadn't died. So how did he end up here if he didn't die?

"You're thinking very hard," Serafall teased lightly. "I can see those gears turning inside that little head of yours."

"Is Earth safe?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" she questioned, slightly confused. "If Earth wasn't safe, then I wouldn't be lounging around here with you. I'd be out there trying to make it safe," she reassured. Gohan's shoulders relaxed a little.

"So Cell is gone then? He didn't come back?"

Serafall swallowed, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. She was starting to piece together what was going on here. A lot of it was starting to make sense. It was entirely within the realm of possibility, but even then… the sheer chances that it _happened_ was incredible. The boy's strange power and that bizarre energy signature that wasn't quite human. Regardless, it wasn't like she could lie to him to keep him calm, she needed to see where this went.

"Cell? I'm sorry, I don't know who that is."

"You don't know who Cell is?" Gohan questioned, completely bewildered. He couldn't fathom how anyone _wouldn't_ know. He had been all over the television. He had slaughtered cities of innocent people. The entire planet knew about him. Surely the higher ups in Otherworld and the Underworld _had _to have some clue as to who he was, considering how many people he'd killed. Now Gohan was panicking, nothing was adding up.

"I like to keep up with current events in the Human world, but I have my responsibilities here as well. Perhaps… I just missed him?"

"No, that's not possible! He's killed hundreds of thousands of people! He almost destroyed the planet!"

"_That seals the deal,_" Serafall thought somberly. "_He's not from this dimension at all. To think the Dimensional Gap is capable of interfering with other universes as well… it's almost inconceivable. I have to tell Sirzechs about this._"

Gohan stood up out of his chair and began pacing, his nerves clearly getting the better of him. Serafall couldn't blame him. She'd probably be a nervous wreck if she pieced together that she had landed in a different universe. What would she do in a life where she couldn't interact with her adorable little sister! Oh, the absolute _horror_!

"I'm sorry, Gohan. If such a threat existed, then we'd surely know about it here in the Underworld. If Earth were suddenly destroyed, we'd all be erased as well. The Underworld is linked to the Human world, just as Heaven is and all the realms connected to it," Serafall started, standing up and drawing his attention. "This might be a bit hard for you to hear, but when you landed in my arms earlier yesterday, I concluded very quickly that you had come from the Dimensional Gap."

"No, that's wrong! Otherworld and Hell aren't connected to any one planet, that would be ridiculous considering how many there are in the universe! And what is the Dimensional Gap, what does any of that even mean?!"

Serafall took a deep breath, knowing that this was going to be difficult for the boy to hear.

"What I'm saying is that you are in a completely different universe. I've never heard of Cell or any of the places you claimed to have lived, and the Underworld certainly doesn't work in the way you've just claimed. East District and Orange Star City? I've never heard of any of them."

"That doesn't mean-"

"Have you heard of America? Maybe Japan or China? Germany? Russia? England…? Any of those places ring a bell? They're major countries on my Earth that everyone knows of."

Gohan stood in silence, the realization sinking in. Serafall walked over to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry. Your Earth is very different from the one I know."

"How's that even possible?!" the young Saiyan shouted, tears starting to form in the corners of his eyes as his entire world crashed around him. "I don't understand! What's the Dimension Gap?! How do I get back?!" he asked rapidly as the tears started to fall. "I need to get back home and see if I really killed Cell! If I didn't win then my family and friends will all die! The whole universe might be in danger! Please, Serafall, I'm begging you! Help me!"

Acting quickly to try and calm him down, Serafall pulled him forward into a hug. The boy surprisingly welcomed it with little resistance. She gently patted the back of his head, doing the same thing she'd do with Sona when she had nightmares or when she was upset.

"Gohan, you need to calm down. You're smart enough to know that panicking won't solve anything, right?" Serafall said soothingly. She felt him nod against her in understanding, but he tightened his grip around her regardless, causing her to smile a bit. They stayed that way for a long time while Gohan calmed himself down, Serafall whispering that he would be okay every so often. As he backed away from her, he still looked considerably confused and scared, but at least he didn't look like he was about to have a mental breakdown. "Now, I'm going to tell you what I know about this situation, but you need to promise me that you'll stay calm from now on and not do anything crazy, okay?" she asked, to which Gohan simply nodded his head and shuffled nervously in his seat. She smiled warmly at the boy and patted him on the head once more.

"Alright then, good. From what I know, the Dimensional Gap is an extremely dangerous place. The rules of reality don't exactly apply there. It's… how do I describe it?" she wondered absently.

Gohan waited patiently for some kind of explanation. While her gesture to calm him down worked to an extent, it still didn't exactly ease his state of mind. His gamble to beat Cell could have backfired and everyone could be dead. Serafall mentioned before that a day had passed, so that would be more than enough time to summon Shenron and reverse all the damage Cell had done, leaving them with a single wish.

He hadn't been summoned back yet, leaving him with two possible explanations. One, everyone was dead and using the Dragon Balls would be impossible. Two, Shenron didn't have the power to summon him from where he currently was. Gohan was silently hoping that it was the latter. At least he'd have some peace of mind that all his friends and family were alive.

"It's a… place. A very, very _bad_ place," Serafall said finally, causing Gohan to deadpan. She even seemed confident that it was a good explanation as well. Thankfully, she noticed his unimpressed expression and decided to elaborate further. "Think of it as like Space, but with no stars or planets. It's just complete and utter nothingness, stretching on for all eternity without a beginning or an end."

"So it's a void."

"I like my description better, but yes," Serafall pouted, crossing her arms with a huff. "A void."

Gohan allowed himself to relax for a moment and gather his thoughts. He wouldn't be getting home any time soon if he allowed his emotions to get to him. If what Serafall said was true, the Dimensional Gap wasn't a place easily reached. Even if he did somehow manage to get back there, from the sounds of it, he'd have no sense of direction.

"Is there anyone that could help me get back home?" Gohan said, finally raising the golden question. "I don't know how to get to the Dimensional Gap, and even if I did, I'd be lost. Is there any way?" he asked. Serafall thought for a moment before paling.

There was one.

Maybe two.

But definitely one.

Someone who knew the Dimensional Gap better than any being in existence.

"_Ophis_."

=/=

* * *

=/=

Admittedly, Gohan wasn't expecting to immediately take a train to meet the King of Hell.

After Serafall had informed him that his only way back to his home was through someone called 'Ophis', he had been excited to get started looking for this person. However, his mood dropped significantly once Serafall stated that it's virtually impossible to find her. Apparently, she appeared wherever and whenever she wanted. If she didn't want to be disturbed, no one would be able to find her. Gohan's hopes shrunk but still remained. At least there was _someone_ that could help him.

The Dragon of Infinity, Ophis.

What did that even mean? Serafall seemed hesitant to even mention the name, let alone the title. He had to admit, the name did seem quite intimidating. This person had to be extremely powerful just by that title alone. What did Ophis even look like? He couldn't even picture it in his head. The best he got was a massive obsidian colored cross between Shenron and Porunga, akin to some kind of spectral nightmare.

Anyway, to come up with some kind of plan, Serafall convinced him that they should meet with this 'Sirzechs' character, who was, apparently, the King of Hell. She claimed he was even more powerful than her, and Gohan had to say that was quite the statement. He could sense Serafall's energy, and she seemed like an endless well of power. He would be quick to compare her to either his father or Vegeta, but he had yet to see her fight.

Who knows what tricks the people of this dimension had up their sleeves?

He sat across from Serafall in her private, luxurious cabin. Serafall had been occupied playing some kind of magical girl game while Gohan stared aimlessly out the window of the train. Hell looked surprisingly ordinary compared to his wild imaginative stereotypes. At some point, he slipped into a deep slumber, his body still recovering from the mental and physical strains of fighting against Cell.

He found himself in a lucid dreamscape. It felt strangely familiar to the time he had mentally sparred with Krillin on the way to Namek. It was a dark void with nothing much of note other than his floating form. He was a bit hazy but aware that this was a dream. There was something about this place that didn't feel right. Gohan could swear there was some kind of presence here.

As if on cue, a booming voice called out to him.

"**Son Gohan.**_**"**_

The young fighter looked around but saw nothing. Then, appearing in front of him like a ghost, the form of the largest dragon he had ever seen took shape. It easily made Shenron look small, almost insignificant in comparison. Its scales were a deep crimson, and its body looked indestructible. However, Gohan couldn't sense a single drop of energy from this thing. Maybe… it was because of the dream?

"**I have been asked to deliver a message from worlds afar. Do with this knowledge what you will.**"

The void shifted, changing into something more tangible and recognizable. As the world around Gohan became colorful and real, a smile of excitement crossed his face.

"It's the Lookout!" Gohan flew down, seeing each one of his friends. The sky had already been darkened, Shenron's giant form looming over everyone ominously. As Gohan landed on the Lookout, he reminded himself that this was still a dream. However, there was a sense of reality to it. "What's going on?" he wondered aloud.

"Shenron!" Goku called out. "Are you able to revive my son, Gohan?"

Gohan watched carefully, a small sense of relief flooding his body. This had to be after he had defeated Cell! He did it! He had saved the Earth! He almost felt like jumping for joy, and probably would have if it wasn't for the fact that he wasn't able to interact with any of his friends. He had since walked over to join them, noticing full well that none of them registered his existence.

A brief glance down at his hands showed that his body was translucent and barely visible. He had to be witnessing some kind of memory.

Some moments of silence passed as Shenron processed the request, before ultimately opening his giant maw to respond.

"**This wish… cannot be granted."**

"What!?" Goku yelled in alarm. Everyone present looked shell-shocked barring Vegeta. The cold Saiyan warrior stood in silence, a somber expression on his face. It never even changed once, despite the distressing news they had all received. Gohan didn't exactly expect a sympathetic reaction from Vegeta, but noticing his total lack of response caused the young hybrid to raise a curious eyebrow. "What do you mean, Shenron?!" his father demanded.

"**The one known as Son Gohan is not dead,"** Shenron informed, causing confused expressions to spread throughout the Z Fighters.

"What does that mean?" Trunks wondered, a look of slight panic evident in his voice. "If Gohan's not dead, then where is he?"

"Explain yourself, Dragon," Piccolo demanded. "Gohan's energy perished along with Cell's. How is it that he isn't in Otherworld?"

Another few moments of silence passed as Shenron observed all present. For a second, Gohan could have sworn the Dragon looked his way, despite his large head not moving at all.

"**Son Gohan has been displaced due to the energy exerted during Cell's demise. I cannot revive him, as he is not dead, and I cannot bring him here, as it is beyond my abilities to do so,"** Shenron replied calmly. His words washed over the group in an unsettling manner. Gohan watched all of his friends bow their heads. Krillin clenched his fists, his body almost shaking. Trunks was the same. Piccolo was suppressing his rage the best out of everyone.

"Please Shenron, isn't there anything you can do to help us?!" Goku pleaded, clearly in distress. Gohan couldn't really ever recall hearing his father that desperate. It was almost frightening to hear a man so brave and courageous sound so hopeless. Gohan wasn't sure if it was possible to cry in dreams, but if it was possible, he certainly felt like he was.

"**The only service I am able to provide is sending a message. Beyond that, my interference with that dimension is extremely limited."**

"Different dimension?" Tien exclaimed. Even Goku looked rather confused.

"The blast must have been powerful enough to rip a hole in the fabric of reality. It was powerful enough to shake the entire planet. Honestly, I'm surprised we're still here," Piccolo commented, his anger subsiding a little. Gohan allowed himself another sigh of relief. It sounded like Earth cut it really close, but his Kamehameha gamble paid off.

"How are we supposed to get him back then?" Krillin asked, looking around for some kind of answer. "If he's still alive, that means he's lost and all alone over there! Who knows what kind of disasters he could be in!? For all we know, Cell could have survived the blast and tagged along with him!"

"Unlikely," Vegeta snorted. "The coward tried to blow himself up. He may have Piccolo's regenerative cells, but nothing can regenerate from being space dust. Gohan got lucky. If you are all so focused on getting him back, then I would highly suggest we converse with the boy's mother," Vegeta finished, pointing to Trunks.

"Mom?" the boy replied, slightly confused.

"Bulma?" Krillin said, mirroring Trunks' expression. "What can she do that Shenron can't?"

"She did make a time machine," Yamcha pointed out, drawing everyone's attention to him. Trunks gained a thoughtful look. "It might have been the future Bulma, but they're still the same person. I'd be willing to bet that if Trunks gave her the time machine, she'd be able to study it and make altercations!"

"Hey, that's a pretty good idea!" Goku exclaimed.

"I guess that _could_ work," Trunks retorted, sounding rather hopeful. "The problem isn't so much making the machine, as I'm sure my mother could figure it out. The problem is how long it would take to make something so complex, and whether or not we can land in the same dimension Gohan is trapped in. It took mom _years_ to build the time machine I used," the older half-Saiyan stressed.

"The groundwork is already there, I mean, it's a _time machine_," Krillin chuckled. "How hard can it be to change it so it jumps dimensions? Isn't time traveling similar to jumping dimensions?"

"Not in the slightest," Trunks countered, shaking his head. Krillin dejectedly lowered his shoulders. Admittedly, no one here knew anything around technology aside from Trunks. They were all excellent fighters, not engineers. The lavender haired boy was the exception, having grown up surrounded by his mother's genius work. "While my time machine might help mom skip decades of research, the base concepts are different. This will take time."

"It's not like we have any other option," Piccolo voiced sagely. "Gohan will have to stay put until we are able to get to him. If Shenron can't bring him back, I doubt the Namekian Dragon Balls will be any help either. This seems like the best course of action."

"**If it would be any consolation,"** Shenron boomed. **"I can offer this much without spending the rest of my energy. Son Gohan is safe for the time being. From my limited knowledge of the space he occupies, he is in no immediate danger. Now… my time is slowly running out. Make your second wish!"**

"Alright!" Goku declared. "Shenron! Could you send Gohan a message? Tell him to stay safe and that everything is alright on our end! He's probably super worried about Earth. Let him know we're trying really hard get him back! Can you do that?!" Goku called out.

"**That is well within my power!"** Shenron boomed. After a few seconds, the power of the eternal dragon swelled, his eyes glowing a deep crimson. In a few moments, it subsided, showing that the wish had been made. Gohan allowed himself to smile slightly, knowing that his family, friends, and home were safe. **"Your wish has been granted! Farewell!"**

In a flash of light, Shenron was gone and the Dragon Balls were shot into the sky and spread out across the planet. The surroundings started to bend and liquidate around Gohan. The Lookout and his friends vanished, and he found himself floating in the black void once again.

The godly-sized crimson Dragon awaited him.

"**I have fulfilled my end of the agreement with your Eternal Dragon, young mortal,**" the enormous dragon boomed. Gohan felt gratified, relief flooding his body. He had no need to stress about the fate of his world anymore. The only question was whether or not what he witnessed was authentic. He was under the impression that it was. Although, he had to know the identity of this large Dragon.

"Thank you," Gohan bowed, as respectfully as he could. "If it's not too much to ask. Who are you?"

"**I have many names, young mortal. However, the name most meaningful to you in answering your questions about what just occurred would be Great Red, the Dragon of Dreams. I was requested to deliver that message to you by your Eternal Dragon. I would have entered your dreams earlier, but you were still recovering and your mind was too weak to handle my presence.**"

Gohan stored that knowledge away for a later date. He'd ask Serafall and Sirzechs to elaborate more on Great Red. Something told Gohan there was more to this dragon than meets the eye. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself about this entire situation. Who knew fighting Cell would have led to all of this? An entirely new dimension, one he knew nothing about! Now that his concerns about his home were mostly put to rest, all he really had to do was wait for his family and friends to come and save him.

Or he could attempt to seek out Ophis.

"**Tread carefully, little interloper. This world is unlike your own. I can offer you that much advice before you wake. Know that my eyes will be watching you, as will many others when your existence becomes known.**"

"Oh, thanks, I guess," Gohan replied, a little unsure of himself in front of such a powerful creature. Despite the situation, he had to ask the question. "If you don't mind me asking, why did you help me? I mean, you didn't have to deliver the message Shenron gave."

"**Your presence in the Dimensional Gap did not go unnoticed, little one. If anything, I obliged the request from your Eternal Dragon out of courtesy and respect. It is not often I meet other entities from worlds afar,**" Great Red retorted. Gohan listened as the Dragon hummed a little in thought, the sound almost vibrating his small tiny dream-like form. "**Besides, it was not a difficult task to perform. I hold power over the Realm of Dreams. This small interaction is not an onerous task, thus I did not feel the need to deny your Eternal Dragon.**"

"I see," Gohan murmured. "Well, again, thank you."

"**Go forth then. Your time in this realm has expired. We will speak again, when the flames of conflict give rise to ruin.**"

"Huh?"

Gohan suddenly found himself back on the train, his eyes wide open.

"Wakey wakey!" Serafall boomed, her cheerful shout startling Gohan. He turned to her, a look of confusion in his eyes, both from wondering what the Dragon had meant by his last words, and why Serafall had awoken him. "Gosh! You are so adorable in your sleep! You do drool a bit, and you were tossing and turning. Don't worry though, everything is cleaned up and a-okay!"

Gohan blinked away the tiredness from his eyes, sitting up in his chair. He looked out the window, noticing that the scenery had changed dramatically from when he drifted off to sleep.

"Are we almost there?"

"Yep! Five more minutes and we should be arriving at the Lucifer Estate."

"Remind me again why we didn't just teleport there? You said you could teleport anywhere in the Underworld," Gohan asked. Serafall giggled at the remark.

"I _could_ have teleported us here to save the hassle from traveling, but it's considered rude to barge into a Satan's territory unannounced. I sent Sirzechs a message letting him know we'd be visiting. He's expecting us via the train. Besides, since you're not a Devil, teleporting you would feel a bit strange. Also, given that you're still recovering from your injuries, I thought it would be safer to travel this way," she reasoned. Gohan was unsure about all of that. Teleporting couldn't be any different than his father's Instant Transmission, could it? Regardless, the half-Saiyan shrugged it off. Besides, he got to sleep all the way here.

The train came to a halt, signaling to its occupants that it had reached its destination. Serafall jumped up from her seat and skipped toward the exit, Gohan following along with his hands rested comfortably behind his head. He was in much better spirits knowing his family and friends were okay. Granted there was a feeling of homesickness in his gut, but he ignored it well enough. After all, going to Namek had allowed him to conquer that feeling.

"Yahoo~!" Serafall called out as she stepped out of the train and onto the station platform. Looking around, she spotted exactly who she was looking for, a woman dressed in a maid get-up with luscious silver hair. "Grayfia! Over here!" she called out, skipping over to the woman. Gohan followed close behind, adjusting his purple gi. Serafall had done a quick repair job on them with her magic along with changing his shoes to combat martial arts boots. They were a lot like his father's, except they were black with shades of dark purple to match his outfit.

She had claimed his old shoes would be rather out-of-fashion. He absently wondered if Piccolo would be insulted by her statement.

"Lady Leviathan," Grayfia replied courteously, bowing in the process. "It has been a while since you've come to visit. Master has informed me that this isn't a social visit," the woman noted, glancing quickly at Gohan who had just managed to walk up next to Serafall. "I take it this is the company you wish to introduce to my Master?"

"Yep!" Serafall exclaimed, wrapping an arm around Gohan's neck and pulling him in tightly. The boy hadn't been prepared for it and ended up slamming against her chest. "His name is Son Gohan! You won't believe where he's from!" she laughed. Grayfia directed her primary attention to him, her eyes narrowing as she scanned him up and down.

"He's powerful," Grayfia commented blandly. Gohan wasn't sure if he should be insulted or grateful given her tone. "Not an ounce of demonic power either. You brought a human here?"

"Not just any human," Serafall responded with a sly grin. "One that survived the Dimensional Gap!"

"Him?" Grayfia retorted, her tone betraying nothing but her eyes widening a fraction. She spared another glance at Gohan. The boy attempted to wave while still being held by his overly touchy caregiver.

"Hello Ma'am..."

"I see," she responded, completely ignoring Gohan's greeting. "Very well, let us be off then. Lord Lucifer is waiting."

Gohan noticed a surge of power from Grayfia, then a red glyph appeared under the three of them, enlarging and surrounding them. Space warped around him and he felt his stomach drop and turn. It was a strange feeling, similar to when his father had used Instant Transmission. In a bright flash of crimson, Gohan found himself inside a room, standing next to Serafall and Grayfia.

The room was well lit, with a regal atmosphere and theme to it. Cream colored walls and ornate carpets, while in the middle of the room sat a large table with fancy carvings. The half-Saiyan felt a bit out of place in such luxury, as he had in Serafall's home, but he felt warm and comfortable at the same time. The large fireplace might have been what he could attribute the warmth to though.

He noticed two young girls sitting in front of that fire, talking and giggling together.

At the head of the table sat a man of incredible stature. Gohan recognized his presence in the room from the moment he landed here. Like Serafall, this man's power was astronomical. He was struggling to think of some kind of comparison. There was no doubt in his mind that this was the famous Sirzechs that Serafall had talked about.

He was dressed elegantly, his crimson hair flowing straight down the back of his neck with not a single strand out of place. He had piercing blue-green eyes and pale skin. It wasn't exactly how Gohan had imagined the King of Hell looking like. He was expecting some horns, maybe a pitchfork or something cliche like that. However, this was a different universe. Perhaps there was still a chance for that to be the case back home?

"Lord Sirzechs," Grayfia introduced, gesturing to Serafall and himself. "Your guests have arrived."

"So they have," Sirzechs smiled, standing up. "Welcome to my home, I hope you find yourself comfortable during your stay here," he finished, looking towards Gohan. The boy responded with a curt bow and a smile of gratitude. The two girls by the fireplace had halted their conversation and glanced curiously over towards him and Serafall. Their gaze was mostly on him though seeing as he was the stranger here, not to mention that he was closer to their age.

"Sirzechs!" Serafall grinned. "Long time no see!"

"I spoke with you last week," he responded with an amused smile.

"Still feels like a long time!" Serafall replied happily, skipping over to the fireplace to greet the two girls. "Rias! It feels like forever since I last saw you! Look at your 'wittle cheeks!" the female Leviathan cooed, bending over and pinching the poor girl's face. "You're already shaping up to be bigger than Sona! Aw… she's going to be so jealous! Ah! Who's this!?" she exclaimed, turning toward the black haired girl. "Is this your Queen!? She's so beautiful! What's your name?"

"I-It's A-Akeno, Lady Leviathan," the girl stuttered shyly.

"You're in good company Akeno! Don't worry! The Gremory family is one of the nicest and coolest out there in the Underworld!" Serafall chuckled, brightening the atmosphere even more. She then leaned over sneakily and whispered into the girl's ear. "The Sitri clan is cooler thoug-AH!" Serafall was cut off as Grayfia pinched her earlobe and dragged her away from the now confused Akeno.

"That is quite enough, Lady Leviathan. Miss Himejima has been through quite a lot recently. I think everyone would appreciate it if you restrained yourself."

"Aw," Serafall pouted, turning her attention to Grayfia. "She's so cute though!"

"That may be, but you requested to speak with Lord Sirzechs on a matter of great importance. I feel that pleasantries can wait until later," Grayfia finished. Gohan caught the man in question chuckling quietly to himself as he observed Grayfia and Serafall's banter. He strolled over to Gohan's side, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"While the ladies argue, how about we introduce ourselves?" he offered, to which Gohan agreed without complaint. "I'll go first. My name is Sirzechs Lucifer, previously Sirzechs Gremory. I'm in charge of the Underworld, as you might have heard from Serafall, and I love spending time with my family," he finished happily. Gohan had to admit, once again, that for the supposed King of Hell he seemed very genuine and pleasing to be around.

"I'm Son Gohan. I don't know how much Ms. Serafall has told you, but I'm not from around here. I like Martial Arts, studying, and spending time with my friends and family. I'm looking to find a way back to my home," the boy summarized. Sirzechs nodded his head sagely, understanding the boy's desire to return home. He had heard the specifics from Serafall via letter. It was incredible to think that this boy was from an entirely different world.

"It's nice to meet you, Gohan. Know that if there is a way home, we will help you find it."

"I appreciate that, Sir."

"Well, while I catch up with Serafall and learn all the finer details, why don't you introduce yourself to my younger sister Rias and her new Queen. You seem to be around their age. I wouldn't want to bore you with the dreadful political talks that come with business conversations," Sirzechs suggested, gesturing to the two younger girls. Rias and Akeno seemed to be carefully glancing his way every now and then while watching Grayfia and Serafall argue.

"I don't have a problem with that," Gohan replied, looking over towards Rias and Akeno. He gave them a friendly wave, one that both of them returned with the same enthusiasm.

"That's good to hear. Rias!" Sirzechs called out. The girl stood up and walked over, Akeno walking tentatively behind her. "Why don't you show Gohan around the place while I chat with Serafall?" he asked kindly. Rias gave Gohan a quick look and a friendly smile.

"No problem!" she responded cheerfully. "I was just about to show Akeno around when we noticed Grayfia teleport in," Rias explained before she turned to Gohan, gesturing for him to follow. "Come on! Let me be your tour guide."

Gohan followed Rias and Akeno towards the door, sparing one more glance at Serafall. She winked at him and gave him a supportive thumbs up. With a small sigh, he followed the two older girls through the door, leaving the older Devils to their private discussion.

The moment the door clicked shut, the smiles disappeared off of Serafall and Sirzechs' faces.

"The boy's power is monstrous," Grayfia commented blandly, as always. "I found it rather hard to restrain myself when I first laid eyes on him. Should he be allowed to wander freely, he could very well fall into the hands of our enemies. I shudder to think what would happen if the remnants of the Old Satan faction got a hold of him."

"He's as pure-hearted as they come," Serafall added, however, her concern was as obvious as Grayfia's. "It's just… he doesn't even have a Sacred Gear, nor is he affiliated with any Faction. He's just a normal human with power that would put a high-class Devil to shame. Anyone could take advantage of him should they whisper the right words in his ear."

"You were right to bring this matter to me personally," Sirzechs said, his tone low and methodical. "This is history in the making. A small boy from another dimension entirely, with power that could set the whole world ablaze."

"He did well to hide it. He is very skilled at suppressing his energy" Grayfia noted.

"Meaning he is capable and trained," Sirzechs sighed. "He speaks well too. He appears to have a good head on his shoulders. You mentioned he fell out of the Dimensional Gap?"

"It's hard not to recognize it," Serafall shrugged. "If it was something else, I've never seen it before. I only assumed the Dimensional Gap given how the crack formed."

"We are not experts on the Dimensional Gap," Grayfia admitted, a fact that all three of them were painfully aware of. "Sending him home may very well be impossible. That territory is inhabited by Ophis and Great Red to our knowledge. Only the most powerful beings in existence have managed to enter and return with their lives."

"Yet he lived," Sirzechs wondered aloud. He returned to the head of the table, Grayfia taking her rightful place at his side. Serafall sat opposite to her, leaving the rest of the table unoccupied. "I do not wish to shatter his desire to return home, but I cannot in good conscience lie to him either."

"I've already told him that his best bet to get home was through Ophis. I also told him the chances of that happening were almost non-existent. He didn't seem too thrilled about that, but he hasn't lost hope."

"In which case," Grayfia started again. "He's going to be around for the foreseeable future. Perhaps we should present the offer to join a peerage?"

"He wants to go home," Serafall stated calmly. "I doubt he'd be so willing to throw away his humanity and become bound to someone if he intends to leave."

"There's no real proper way to present that offer is there?" Sirzechs chuckled lightly. "If I was human and was offered to become a Devil, I would be skeptical too. Regardless, we are presented with a problem of sorts. He is extraordinarily powerful. To what extent, we cannot be sure until we see it with our own eyes. I'd rather not have him exploited by the Old Satan faction or any other renegade Devils. As long as he stays here in the Underworld, we needn't worry about the Angels or Fallen Angels finding out about him."

"That almost sounds like he's a prisoner," Serafall pouted rather sadly. "I'm struggling to agree with keeping him here, should he want to explore. For all we know, he could be here for the rest of his life."

"Again, I would suggest that he be persuaded to join a peerage. That way he can make friends and build a life. He may even come to enjoy it here," Grayfia suggested again. Serafall and Sirzechs thought about it for a few moments. It was a rather uncomfortable silence that the wife of Lucifer hadn't quite been expecting.

Finally, Sirzechs sighed, a small smile gracing his face.

"I don't suppose there is any harm in the offer. We can't force him to join one if he doesn't wish too."

"Who knows, maybe little Rias has already offered?" Serafall joked lightly. "I do wonder what kind of piece he would take. He is quite powerful… maybe a mutated rook? He doesn't seem like the Bishop type to me."

"I would wager a pawn or a knight, given that he claimed to be a martial artist. They tend to be quite fast," Sirzechs added. "Anyway, enough about this, we can figure out the specifics when Gohan returns from his tour with Rias. How have things been, Serafall?" The three devils talked for a long while regarding their lives and political business, with some friendly ribbing between Sirzechs and Serafall as was customary in any interaction between the two. About half an hour had passed when a small magical circle appeared next to Grayfia's ear.

Sirzechs and Serafall turned their attention to the communication glyph, their eyebrows raised ever so slightly. Grayfia listened to a somewhat panicked voice coming from the other end, her eyes narrowing the more information she heard.

"What do you mean?"

There was more incomprehensible chatter that couldn't be made out.

"An intruder? You must be mistaken. There is a boy with Rias and Akeno, yes but he's not a-" she was cut off as the voice on the other end became even more panicked. Grayfia's eyes widened as more information was relayed. She was about to say something when the sound of snapping bones could be heard on the other end of the communication glyph. Grayfia cried out and cut off the connection, causing the two Satans present to shoot to their feet.

"What's going on?" Sirzechs asked calmly. However, before Grayfia even had the chance to respond, an explosion shook the entirety of the Gremory territory.

"An intruder? How did they get in without us noticing?" Serafall asked, a look of concern spreading across her face.

Another explosion sent shockwaves across Sirzechs' home. A scowl appeared across his face as the power of Destruction enveloped his form.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out."

* * *

**A/N: As I said previously, I am a simple creature. I've been wanting to write a Highschool DxD story for years now, but could never really figure out how to do it. I'm talking about my earlier years while I was still in Highschool. I did write a DBZ/Highschool DxD story at that time, but it's so bad that I'd rather not talk about it. Now probably one of the bigger questions you guys might be asking is…**

**Is this a harem? It is DxD after all.**

**I know it's not needed at all, but I almost feel obligated to try and make one work. I have a strict rule with harems, that if I ever decided to try and write one, I wouldn't go beyond three or four love interests. Any more than that, and characters tend to get forgotten about and relationships suffer, along with actual character development. I don't really know what else to say. I mean, this story could either go a harem route, or it couldn't. It's really up to the way it evolves over time.**

**E/N: Like Siv's said, we have a general direction that we want the story to go, but a lot of things are still up in the air. As for the harem piece, know that even if we do decide on a harem route, it will NOT be like any of the usual harems you see in stories on here. I myself usually hate harem stories with a passion, because almost all of them are little more than smut. Expect none of that nonsense here, any relationships within this story will be properly built up and we will not write any lemon scenes. If a relationship were to proceed to the point of sex, it will be implied and not written, which is the best way to do it it anyway in my opinion. The reason we enjoy DxD isn't just the wide variety of tits Issei gets to feel up (Serafall best girl by the way, fight me about it), but that it actually has a story beneath that with a wealth of potential to be explored. Not to mention that the characters are just so fun and ridiculous. **

**Anyway, that's what we've got so far! We hope you all enjoyed it, and please remember to follow, favorite, and review if you want to see more of this.**

**Adios!**


	2. Chapter Two

**A/N:**

**Alrighty, I'm finally back. While I wanted to get this chapter out way earlier, there were complications concerning editor/beta readers free time so I was stuck waiting for them to get around to this chapter. Anyway, I have a few things to say so ****please read!**

**First of all, it was not our intention to start a -sort of- war in the review section. I feel like I should have known better than to talk about power levels. What my editor's review about the power levels was merely just a thought exercise when applying DBZ scaling to DxD. I just want to make that very clear. Because come on guys, let's be honest here. I'm not going to sit here and spout nonsense about how X series could possibly rival DBZ. In reality, nothing really does and when we start arguing about it no one wins and we all go home miserable at the end of the day. I guess to summarize, yeah, I'm going to be buffing DxD. Whether we're wrong or right about power scaling or feats really doesn't matter. All I want to do is write an entertaining story, and if realistic scaling between the two universes based on the source material is the deal breaker for you, then... sorry. I'm sure there are plenty of other stories you can read in replacement of this one.**

**If you're here expecting a stomp-fest where Gohan solos everything, then you're going to be sorely disappointed. I don't want to write that. I've read countless stomp fics since I discovered in this site in 2011 and quite frankly I've grown tired of them. They were fun and cathartic at the start but after a while they all tend to read the same and repeat boring tropes. I and my editors/beta readers have read them all before and we can predict what's going to happen before it even happens. Do you guys really want to see that? I don't. **

**However, that's not to say Gohan's going to be weak or nerfed. I think I make it very clear where he stands in this chapter, so I hope ya'll give it a shot.**

**(Post Update Edit: apparently I'm being shouted at by my main editor that there are errors all over the place. I'm assuming technical errors that slipped by? I don't know, expect tiny changes to wording soon.)**

* * *

_Chapter Two_

"You're a human!?" Rias and Akeno exclaimed in disbelief their eyes wide and jaws slightly dropped.

Gohan couldn't help but help crack a smile at their shocked expressions despite his situation. It was nice being in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere after the last three years. The ever-present weight of the incoming android attack had stopped him from ever truly relaxing.

Aside from that, he was quite enjoying his tour through the Lucifer Estate and eventually they took him outside to a well-kept garden with various stone statues depicting creatures of legend, along with fountains, and other artistic decor surrounding a large open area. Birds were chirping and a calm breeze mellowed the atmosphere. Rias had taken a seat on a white-painted bench under the shade of a tree while Akeno and Gohan sat on the soft grass.

It was here where they really got to know each other. Rias and Akeno had regaled him with stories about their lives. It was through these stories that he learned Akeno was Rias' newly reincarnated queen and had been picked up after she had been abandoned. He also learned that Rias herself was the heiress to the Gremory Clan. Neither revelation surprised him much, Akeno was almost like a second shadow to Rias, while the king herself basically radiated nobility.

Due to her circumstances, Akeno was rather shy and looked to Rias as her lifeline. From what Gohan understood of the situation Rias had basically adopted Akeno into her family and as far as he could see, treated her as a sister despite only knowing the girl for a short time. Rias' treatment of Akeno spoke greatly of her character and firmly cemented her as a kind person in Gohan's mind.

"Any member of my peerage is like family," she had said earlier and Gohan could confirm that it wasn't just lip service.

After the girls had finished discussing amongst themselves, the conversation naturally turned towards Gohan and his life. During his stories he had revealed his human origin to the girls, stunning them.

"Uh, yeah. Isn't it obvious?" Gohan asked sheepishly. As the words exited his mouth he realized it was a bit of a stupid question to ask, unless all the devils he had seen were hiding a grotesque form under a human guise then for all intents and purposes, they appeared human.

"I'm not very good at sensing power or energy signatures yet," Rias admitted, slightly embarrassed. Akeno nodded in agreement. Neither girl had been quite able to grasp it, though they were working on it together.

"Well, sorry to disappoint you!" Gohan laughed. "I'm not a devil, so I'm a little confused on what a peerage is. Is it okay if I ask?"

"It's fine," Rias replied happily. "Let's see, I explained to Akeno earlier, but since she already had some knowledge about our culture it was much easier to iron out the details. Hmm," the eleven-year-old princess hummed in thought, a hand on her chin.

"Maybe start with the basics?" Akeno suggested. Rias agreed, nodding at her queen's suggestion.

"You're familiar with Chess, right?"

"Yeah, I know it. I've never played it though."

"That makes things easier. So, the way a peerage works is that every high-class devil is given fifteen Evil Pieces which are like chess pieces. Eight pawns, two knights, two bishops, two rooks, and one queen. Finally, there's the person who owns the pieces and the most important member of the peerage, the king," Rias explained. Gohan was with her so far, nothing too complicated about that.

"The system was developed by one of the Satan lords to replenish the devils we lost in the Great War. If an Evil Piece is inserted into a person, they are reborn as a devil serving under their king as whatever piece they hold," Rias continued. Akeno took that moment to pitch in.

"As I told you before, I'm Rias' queen. I used to be a fallen angel, but now I'm a reborn devil and a part of the Gremory Household."

"Oh! So you're like a physical representation of a chess piece?" Gohan summarized. Akeno nodded, confirming his assumption. How a chess piece was capable of reviving and converting people to devils was still beyond him, but he got the gist of it. "That's kind of interesting. Do you have any other people in your peerage?" the boy asked. Rias smiled slightly, mischief dancing in her eyes, while Akeno giggled.

"Oh no, but are you offering to join? I would love to have you on-board."

"Uh," Gohan hummed momentarily, slightly caught off guard by the offer. Rias then summoned her Evil Pieces to her hands and showed them to Gohan.

"You said you're a martial artist, right?" Rias recalled, taking her two rook pieces. The son of Goku got a decent look at them. They exerted a strange energy that Gohan had never felt before.

"I bet you'd be a great rook!" she took another look at him, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "I'm not very good at determining worth yet… my brother says it'll come with age, but… I wonder if you're powerful enough to take both my rooks?"

The hybrid warrior laughed nervously, unsure how to really respond to her. She just looked so… happy. However, he couldn't just give up his humanity and allow himself to be reborn as a devil. He had to get home. Thus, he lightly pushed away Rias' outstretched hand containing both her rook pieces.

"Sorry," Gohan said sympathetically. "I kinda like being human. I want to go home eventually and I live a long way away from here. If I became a devil, it would be a bit problematic," he reasoned. He then scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. "Besides, I'm pretty sure my mom would kill me if I came home a devil!"

"Aw…" Akeno sighed dejectedly. Rias, despite also being slightly hurt by the rejection, smiled at the boy's positive attitude.

"No, it's fine," Rias started, laughing softly. "I should have considered your feelings. I apologize, I just got a bit excited," the redhead replied with a bright smile. Once again, Gohan was surprised by how human these devils seemed. "It's not often I get to meet such interesting people around my age."

"It's no big deal," Gohan chuckled, but as he looked closer there was a loneliness in her eyes. The half-Saiyan wasn't quite sure how to say it, but Rias had been so excitable at the thought of a new peerage member. Just by talking to her, he could see that she was extremely interested in every aspect of his character. Learning that he was human only seemed to amplify that. Learning that he was also half Saiyan would only _multiply_ that interest.

"No, it's just that-" Rias stopped, her face contorting to an expression of annoyed confusion. She stood up and looked around, her body tense and anxious. Gohan was about to open his mouth to ask, but he too noticed something was off. There was a whisper in the wind. "It's quiet."

"Huh?" Akeno questioned, slightly confused. The half-Saiyan's instincts were starting to kick in, but the raven-haired girl was clearly not seeing the issue. "What's wrong?"

Something was _very_ wrong.

The birds had stopped chirping, the water from the fountains had stopped running, all of the ambient noise had been cut off. Even the distant sound of the servants going about their duties had ceased. The air was tense, as if the atmosphere around them had gotten thicker.

Then came an unforgettable smell, one Gohan and Akeno knew intimately.

"Do you smell that?" Rias asked, her tone deadly serious. Her azure blue eyes flickered around the environment, determined to root out the cause. Akeno mirrored her King's actions while Gohan stretched his senses out wide. He was met by a haze, something that was blocking his ability to sense ki. barring Rias and Akeno, he couldn't sense anyone. Considering that Serafall, Sirzechs, and Grayfia shouldn't have been more than a couple hundred meters away and there should have been many servants nearby, that was concerning. Those three were basically lighthouse beacons. He should have been able to sense them anywhere, yet he was met with nothing. A chilling landscape void of energy.

"Blood."

The sickening metallic stench was something unmistakable to the boy warrior.

"We should head back to-" Rias started, only to fall into silence the moment she turned around. "Where's Akeno!?"

Gohan spun around in confusion. The raven-haired girl had been standing right next to him seconds ago. Yet now she was gone without a trace and he hadn't noticed a thing! The half-Saiyan's instincts kicked in, jumping to Rias' side and surrounding them in a barrier of his own energy. The yellow bubble of energy encased the two safely as they continued to survey the area, confused as to where their friend had gone.

"What is going ON!?" Rias demanded, her anger bubbling to the surface in the form of a crimson red aura. Her pale creamy skin, outlined with a violent black and red energy that looked almost like a calm flame. Her inner demonic energy was surprisingly potent if her power was anything to go by. However, she was nowhere close to the kind of power he had sensed the two Satan's were packing.

"No sign of her even moving. Not a word… not even a scream," Gohan growled, his eyes were furiously observing the area for any detail out of place. Not a single thing would escape his perceptive eye. Despite his skill, he could not figure out what was going on. Rias didn't seem to be faring any better than he was. A simple glance told him she was scared, but she was also worried about what _he_ was doing.

"This barrier," Rias asked quickly. "Is it light? Are you someone from the Church? Light is harmful to devils," she explained very quickly, the building stress of the situation starting to get to her. Gohan shook his head.

"No, it's just my energy. It shouldn't be."

Rias hesitantly touched the inside of the barrier. To her relief, nothing happened.

"Okay… good," Rias took a deep breath, steeling herself in the process. "Whoever you are, I demand you show yourself! If this is some kind of game, it's not funny!" she yelled. Gohan waited with bated breath, despite not sensing anything in the area. He knew something was up, as Akeno's energy had vanished completely.

"Rias, I can't sense anyone nearby. Akeno's presence has completely vanished as well."

"Neither can I, but like I said, I'm not good at sensing things yet, so I wouldn't rely on my ability to detect threats."

Seconds later, flashes of white light erupted from every angle. Tendril-like appendages of lightning thundered towards the barrier Gohan had summoned. In unison, they slammed into the barrier, cracking it in the process. The half-Saiyan growled, pushing more energy into his defense to repair the damage done.

Rias had screamed and fallen over onto her backside from the shock. Gohan stood, unfazed by the sudden assault. His first thought was to discern where the attack had come from, however that proved to be impossible. It had come from every angle and he couldn't pinpoint the origin either. As frustrating as it was, the young warrior had only learned one thing in that brief moment. He had no choice but to stay on the defense.

"Look!" Rias called, pointing towards the sky. Gohan turned, looking over his shoulder and following her gesture. There was something strange in the sky. Some kind of purple haze was descending on the area. The sky itself was a completely different color, poisoned by whatever was doing this. Rias managed to get to her feet despite her visible fear. "We've been displaced…"

"What?" he asked, frustration leaking into his tone. "What does that mean?!"

"It means-"

She was cut off once again as a giant purple magical circle lit up under their feet. Gohan hadn't the slightest clue what it was, however, the look on Rias' face was nothing short of pure terror. Her bravado went out the door the moment she saw the glyph.

"Norse magic!?"

Gohan suppressed the urge to growl. He was getting really sick and tired of not knowing what was going on. Before he even had a chance to question her, the glyph exploded into pure light, blinding both him and Rias. There was familiar sickness in his stomach, the same one he got when he teleported with Grayfia and Serafall. Space warped and his body twisted as reality bent around him. It was a bizarre experience.

When the half-Saiyan warrior finally felt solid ground beneath his feet again, he risked opening his eyes. The moment he did, his jaw dropped in shock.

No longer was he in a garden courtyard in the Lucifer estate. No… wherever he was now, was _far_ away from anything like that.

A barren wasteland surrounded him.

This was a desert, very similar to the one that his father had faced Vegeta in all those years ago, down to the orange, clay-colored rock formations that littered the area. The sky was tinted a strange purplish color. He wasn't sure what that meant. The Underworld's sky tended to change depending on what region they were in. Serafall's estate had a calming sapphire sky, while Sirzechs had the glow of a setting sun. This was… hard to find a comparison.

"Where are we?" Gohan asked, turning to his side. Rias was next to him, looking just as confused as he was. "That felt like teleportation magic," he said, recalling his previous experience with it.

"It was," Rias confirmed, looking doubly pale. One look at her and Gohan was certain she was a few steps away from vomiting. She was scared. He couldn't blame her. She had probably never experienced anything like this before. "That was… Norse magic. But, who would…?"

"Me, of course."

Rias and Gohan turned to the source of the voice. The moment they did, Gohan scowled. Another person he couldn't sense. An android, maybe? He had no idea who he was dealing with here, or more accurately what he had been dragged into. Despite not being able to sense her, the woman exerted a frightening aura. Gohan could swear he heard screams of various people echoing from where she stood despite her mouth being closed.

It chilled him to the bones.

The woman wore a sparkling obsidian dress with two olive green lines down the sides. She had deathly pale skin, almost ghost-like. Her hair was pitch black with silver highlights, loose and untied. In her left hand, she held a staff with disturbing engravings, topped with an intimidating skull at the head of the staff. Her eyes held a slight green glow to them and she was double the size of him.

"Seems Baldur is just as incompetent as ever," the woman sighed, unimpressed. Neither Rias nor Gohan had the chance to question her before another person spoke from behind them.

"I'm hurt," a male voice spat venomously. Turning, Gohan saw that this man was far different than the woman. He couldn't sense this man either. There had to be something to this! It was starting to unnerve him that he couldn't sense an ounce of energy from either of these people. These people didn't _seem_ like androids… but then again, looks weren't everything.

This man was bald and had tattered rags for pants and worn footwraps. A worn grey cloak covered most of his body as he stood about two heads taller than the half-Saiyan warrior. His entire upper torso was exposed, allowing the world to see the many tattoos he had engraved into his flesh. It was as if his body was a blank canvas and a genius painter had turned it into a masterpiece. Every marking seemed to have a meaning, and it was pointless for Gohan to try and decipher they depicted.

Unlike the thin, slick woman, this man was well built and fit. His eyes burned with a golden light, glaring at the woman who had addressed him.

"Perhaps if your teleportation magic was as sharp as your disgusting mouth, you would have been able to specifically target the Gremory Heiress, Hel."

Gohan's scowl deepened. This had been a coordinated kidnapping, one he had obviously been caught up in unintentionally. The tendrils of light that had attacked his barrier before the teleportation had been for him, not for Rias. Who were these people? The names… Hel and Baldur. They didn't have any significance to him, however, his crimson haired friend seemed to have a different opinion. Just hearing the names, he could see her shake, fear gripping her intensely.

"If you had done as planned, I wouldn't need to," Hel countered with a dismissive tone. "We don't have time to bicker Uncle. Kill the boy and let us be on our way. If we linger, the Devil Kings will follow the trail left behind."

"Tch," the man spat. "Sloppy as always. You get that from your father."

"Enough," Hel growled. "If you haven't noticed, the only thing stopping the devils from pursuing us is my magic. If we continue to idle, that window of opportunity will cease. Do as you're told and kill the boy," she commanded. The man dubbed as Baldur muttered something inaudible before stalking towards Rias and Gohan. The half-Saiyan stepped protectively in front of her to meet the oncoming threat.

"I'll deal with them, you keep yourself safe," Gohan told her, leaving no room for argument. The surface of his skin started to glow white as he flexed his power. Rias wanted to protest, but the sudden tidal wave of energy she quite literally _felt_ roll off Gohan stunned her into submissive silence.

"I don't have any qualms with you, human," Baldur said, stopping a few feet away from Gohan. "I would prefer not to kill you, but if you stand in my way. I will not hesitate," he finished, his form being engulfed in a golden light. It wasn't anything like a Super Saiyan. His body quite literally shone like a sun. Gohan hadn't seen anything like it, but it wasn't blinding enough to look away. Still, despite the impressive display, he couldn't sense an ounce of power from the man.

"What do you want with Rias? Where's Akeno!?" the young warrior demanded.

"None of your business," the man growled. "I suggest you return to the human world. Last chance."

"I grow tired of this talk!" Hel snapped. "If you do not kill the boy, _I will_."

"If you intend to kidnap Rias," Gohan responded, ignoring the woman's outburst. "Then it is my business. I won't let you take her!"

Seconds passed before the man gave off a response. There was a low growl in his throat as he opened his mouth to speak, his tone low and gruff.

"So be it."

Baldur dashed forward in a flash of light, one Gohan didn't have too much trouble tracking. With a raised forearm, he blocked the man's light-infused punch. There was surprising weight behind it but not enough to really give the boy pause. A quick counter was all Gohan needed to slip through the man's guard. Shifting his weight forward, he batted the man's arm away and sunk his fist into Baldur's stomach.

The force of Gohan's punch exerted a small shockwave radiating out from his extended fist, forcing his enemy back. The ragged man skidded across the rocky terrain, kicking up debris until he came to a standstill. With a single punch, the boy had put some distance between him and his opponent. Hel merely raised her eyebrow, while Rias stood speechless.

Her new -very human- friend had… overwhelmed the Norse God of Light!

Baldur tilted his head slightly, clearly intrigued by this turn of events. He wasn't damaged at all, despite the solid body shot he had taken. Cracking his neck in anticipation, he charged in without warning and engaged Gohan once more. The boy decided to meet the man head-on, determined to take the initiative.

As Rias watched the fight unfold, she couldn't help that her mouth was hanging wide open in awe. Baldur and Hel were _Gods_. Norse Gods of Light and Death respectively. They were among the strongest of the Norse Pantheon, and yet… here was this human, exchanging blows with a _Deity_. It was _impossible_! What Gohan was doing right now was absolutely absurd!

The two clashed once again, a crater forming beneath the combatants with Gohan coming out on top again. However, despite all the hits he was taking, Baldur didn't seem at all phased. Deities were much harder to kill than regular supernaturals, as they were literal forces of nature possessing an immortal soul, as opposed to the flesh and blood bodies most other occult beings possesed.

Very little apart from other gods or sacred gears tended to hurt them.

"Who is this boy?" Rias heard Hel mutter sourly. The crimson princess turned her attention away from the fight to the immobile Goddess. She was observing the fight with a clear distaste in her eyes. It was then the Goddess noticed that the Gremory Heiress had turned her attention to her. "Well? Are you going to answer my question or stand there like some kind of shell-shocked fool?"

"Why are you after me?" Rias demanded, changing the subject. Hel rolled her eyes dramatically.

"They get stupider every generation…" Hel mused, gazing at Rias who clearly took offense to her remark. "Why do you think, little girl? The Underworld is ruled by fakes, one of the most powerful happens to be your brother," she explained disinterestedly. "I have my own reasons for this endeavor, as does my petulant uncle. To get what we want, we have to execute this laborious task… it really is _beneath_ me," Hel sighed dramatically.

Rias turned once more to see how the fight was progressing, just in time to watch Gohan uppercut the god, then kick him into a rock formation. The boy landed with perfected skill. There were some very minor cuts on his body, but nothing that seemed to bother the young fighter.

"So you're just going to stand there while my friend beats Baldur around like a pinata?" Rias mocked lightly. Despite her jab, she got no reaction out of Hel.

"My skills are preoccupied," Hel dismissed her with a wave of her hand. "Besides, the boy is flesh and blood. He will tire eventually. Baldur is a god. It would be humorous to even consider the notion that he could meet his end at the hands of a human child," she continued. Her eyes closed briefly, allowing a controlled sigh to escape her lips. "Additionally, I refuse to sink to the level of fighting in such a brutish manner. Engaging in combat like this is insulting to someone of my stature."

"I can't tell if that's your ego talking, or your fear," Rias quipped with a smirk. Hel's lip curved downwards, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

"Watch your tongue if you do not wish to lose it, little girl."

"Why should I take your threats seriously when you just stand there and refuse to fight?" Rias mocked haughtily, feeling a little more courageous. Summoning a good portion of her Destruction magic to her hands, she hurled it at the Goddess, only to find that the obsidian-crimson energy of her attacks withered and died before they got anywhere near their target.

Not that Rias was surprised. To fight a Goddess was far above what she was capable of, but she couldn't stand around and do nothing!

"Foolish girl," Hel muttered, raising a single hand. A pool of darkness erupted from Rias' feet and wrapped around her tightly, pinning her arms to her side. She let out a scream as the tendrils of darkness lifted her off the ground. "Be silent," the Goddess commanded. A mass of congealed darkness floated up to Rias and covered her mouth.

"Rias!" Gohan called out, blocking another easily telegraphed attack from Baldur. He spun, carrying the man with him and catapulting him toward the stationary woman. Her form flickered and appeared a few meters to her left, dodging Baldur's body with ease. The man hit the ground and tumbled, laughing maniacally all the way. "This guy… he's mad!" the Saiyan child muttered under his breath. None of his attacks seemed to have any real effect.

Was he really going to have to use Super Saiyan here? The way Baldur just kept recovering after every attack was leading Gohan to believe the man was some kind of immortal or possessed a ridiculous healing factor. He knew Piccolo had a very impressive one alongside Cell, and, considering the hits he was shrugging off, Baldur as well.

"Must I get involved?" Hel asked no one in particular. She slowly turned her head to Baldur, watching as he pushed himself to his feet. "I would _hate_ to call for reinforcements, _Uncle_," she hissed dangerously. "Is the God of Light not enough to deal with a mortal boy?" she mocked. The tattooed man turned and stared at her with a smug grin, as if to convey that she had no idea what she was talking about. She scowled back at him, nothing made her angrier than silent implications of ignorance.

"That boy…" Baldur chuckled, shaking his head. "He is no _ordinary_ boy. He is a warrior. My brothers would like him very much."

"I care not for your tripe!" she exclaimed, frustration with her incompetent partner boiling over. "Kill him now or admit your uselessness, it matters little which route we take. We already have the girl."

"I don't think so!" Gohan launched into the air, crossing his hands above his forehead. A bright yellow ball of energy sparked to life. "Masenko!"

The blast worked as intended. Hel and Baldur immediately evacuated the area, cutting the magical bonds that had ensnared Rias. The force from the blast sent her spiraling, but she was swiftly caught by Gohan before she was injured. He placed her back on her feet, despite her clear bewilderment. Meanwhile, the two Gods stood a far distance away from the smoking crater, glaring at it intensely.

"'Mortal boy' my arse…" Baldur mocked lightly, turning to Hel and grinning at her shell shocked expression. "Anything else you want to say? I'd be happy to stand here and wait for you to spew more nonsense, this is fun for me."

"Enough!" Hel boomed. Her staff glowed an ominous obsidian. A dome of darkness surrounded the entire clearing, blocking out the wasteland entirely. In a few seconds, it was as if they were standing in the vacuum of space. "I grow tired of these games! Meet your end here, impudent child!"

At that moment, an overwhelming chill invaded Gohan's body. His vision blurred and his ki dropped. He lost sight of Rias, Hel, and Baldur, only seeing mirages of himself. Everywhere he looked he saw death, his own body twisted and broken beyond recognition in more ways than he could count. Some had missing limbs, others had no eyes, and the vile stench of blood permeated the air.

"_What is… happening?_" Gohan's head was swimming, everything felt so terribly _wrong_. When the mangled versions of himself all turned their heads toward him simultaneously, he nearly screamed. Then they spoke.

"_**Submit.**__"_

Hel's voice echoed from within the bodies surrounding him, and for some reason he felt compelled to obey her command. All the air escaped from his lungs as he fell to his knees, the voices growing louder, continually demanding his submission. The son of Goku felt his skin crawl, a stinging sensation growing throughout his entire body. It was as if a thousand needles were slowly piercing his skin all at once.

"_**Your soul belongs to me. Obey and wither.**__"_

"_No…_" he thought hazily. Gohan knew he had to resist, but each word Hel spoke seemed to hold immense power, sapping his will to fight. This had to be some kind of illusion, but he could very clearly feel the energy being drained from his body. If this continued, the conclusion was obvious.

"_**Your body will crumble. The sands of time will consume you!**__"_

"_No._"

"_**DEATH COMES FOR YOU!**__"_

"_NO!"_

Gohan allowed his ki to explode, a desperate attempt to escape whatever had imprisoned him in this nightmare. Through the darkness, a golden light erupted around the boy as he screamed. His hair sparked into a brilliant blonde as his eyes shifted to a sea green. His muscles bulged and his resolve returned to him tenfold.

Throwing his hands above his head, he let out another primal roar, his ki expanding from his body in a wave of light. The darkness was blown away, revealing Hel and Baldur standing the same place they had been. With the vacuum of death expelled from the surrounding area, Gohan stood in all his glory, clad in that golden light. His attention was locked onto the two self-proclaimed 'Gods' with a steel gaze.

"I don't know what that was," Gohan hissed angrily. "But I'll make sure you don't get the chance to do it again."

"Gohan!" Rias called out. Her voice was shaken, many conflicting emotions surging through her. Just when she thought Gohan was done for, he had erupted out of the darkness clad in a golden aura. She couldn't even sense his power properly. However, she didn't need to. It was so overwhelming and despite it looking somewhat holy in origin, the light coming from Gohan wasn't hurting her in the slightest. In fact, quite the opposite…

It felt warm… and protective.

Despite the situation, Rias felt… safe.

"H-he escaped my Purgatory spell," Hel murmured in disbelief. No one could escape that. No one _should_ be able to escape that. That spell was magic which inflicted the concept of death itself onto the target, an inescapable end regardless of strength. She'd been preparing it in the background just in case one of the Satans showed up. With her energy split between multiple spells simultaneously, it wouldn't have been enough to kill one of them, but it certainly would have slowed them down long enough for an escape to be made.

If the boy was able to escape that spell… his power was Satan class at the least!

More to the point, this mission was a complete failure. There was no way that the Gremory Heiress could be captured now with a protector of this caliber. Her dismissive arrogance had all but evaporated now, replaced by something she refused to acknowledge outwardly.

Fear.

Baldur growled, acting quickly. He summoned a fair bit of his power and shot a bright flare into the sky. Things were about to get bloody. Judging from just how much the boy had physically changed, he knew this was serious. Baldur didn't like to label himself as arrogant like the other Gods. He was a tortured soul, cursed to live an unfeeling life by his mother. It had driven him to the edges of madness, but it was at times like these where he felt normal again.

To face power like this… for some reason, he felt like he was close to something beautiful. Whatever it was he couldn't tell, but he loved this feeling. Despite all this, he was no fool. Hel had vastly underestimated their opponent. A typical move for a child of Loki. He loathed to even think of the name 'Loki'. There wasn't another person he hated more than that man than maybe his own mother.

Uncertain of the outcome of this next fight, he thought it safe to call for backup. He couldn't risk being captured. There was something he needed, and the only person that could get it for him was the leader of this organization.

A distant howl echoed across the barren wasteland, causing Baldur to smirk. It was true that both his and Hel's powers were possibly no match for the young warrior, but it mattered not. No matter how strong this boy could become, at the end of the day...

He was still human.

=/=

* * *

=/=

Fascinated, Rias crept closer to Gohan, entranced by this new form and the protective aura he emitted before the young warrior raised his arm up to stop her.

"Rias. Just stay back," Gohan warned, taking a step toward his enemies. "This area isn't safe for you. Find somewhere to hide."

Then he was gone.

"_Where did he…?!_"

The entire wasteland was suddenly painted in a sapphire blue light. From the sky, Gohan appeared with his hands cupped, charging an incomprehensible amount of power into an attack that shone like a blue sun. Baldur retaliated by launching a wave of light at the boy, intending on warding off the attack. Whatever power the child warrior was in possession of was clearly not normal by mortal standards. It was power akin to a Longinus. In fact…

It made most users of the famous Longinus Sacred Gears look like jokes.

"Kamehame… HA!"

Gohan had barely launched the attack and Rias was already blown off her feet. Wild winds buffeted her harshly as she tumbled hundreds of meters away from the blast zone. She instinctively pulled out her devil wings and took to the sky in an attempt to save herself from the rocky terrain. Although, now that she was in the air, she had a new problem to deal with. Just staying upright and stable was incredibly difficult with force of the wind.

A brief glance back at the battleground revealed...

It was gone!

The entire plateau they had been on previously was completely vaporized by Gohan's attack.

"Your power…" Baldur trailed off as the half-Saiyan slammed into him mid-air. The male God couldn't fathom where all this strength was coming from. Although, he wasn't scared in the slightest. No matter how much damage this boy could do to him, his revolting _curse_ would protect him from harm and allow him to keep fighting. Yet, the Norse deity of Light had to ask the question, his curiosity piqued. "Where did you acquire it?"

"What's it to you?" Gohan retorted, blocking a kick. Pushing the God off, he retreated hastily in time to watch a wave of pure darkness erupt from Hel and thunder past where he had been seconds ago. The child warrior fired off a few dozen blasts at where Hel was standing, forcing her to reposition under a fierce cloud of smoke and fire. Without even sensing the man, Gohan instinctively ducked his head and watched an outstretched arm sail over his head, leaving a vulnerable opening in Baldur's defense.

Ramming an elbow into the man's stomach, Gohan crippled the god temporarily, allowing him enough time to spin and deliver a bone-shattering kick to the ragged man's jaw. The shockwave from the impact ripped through the wasteland as Baldur shot backward. Crashing through rock formations like they were made of glass, the tattooed man managed to halt his movement, regaining control over his body.

Gohan hadn't moved to take advantage of the position he had been in. It intrigued the God of Light.

"Fascinating," Baldur murmured, snapping his jaw back into place. It was disturbing to the young fighter just how effortlessly the man did so. Not a shred of visible pain was shown from him. Was it even possible to kill him? It didn't matter either way, he had no need to kill Hel and Baldur, he outclassed them so completely that if he kept his guard up they weren't much of a threat. All had to do was find a way to guarantee Rias' safety. "You are not human, are you?"

"I don't see why I should tell you anything," the nine-year-old's retort was cold and impassive, causing a small smirk to appear on his opponent's face.

Baldur straightened up and laughed, his divine aura encompassing him. It was a calm, radiant white light that circled him like a silent flame. It was much less violent than Gohan's own golden aura. Any wound he had on his body disappeared immediately, leading Gohan's frown to deepen. Seriously, he was getting tired of fighting people who had a healing factor. It was just unfair.

"You don't have the power to kill me, child," Baldur stated calmly, a smile on his face. Gohan raised an eyebrow at that. It was a bold claim. If he tried to access his ascended form, he could no doubt put Baldur in the ground. However, killing was something Gohan detested. He'd avoid it at all costs. "If you did, you would have done so already."

"I don't like killing," Gohan snapped back in annoyance. "I don't have a reason to kill you, so don't give me one. Just let Rias and I go."

"Even so, you couldn't. I've already seen my death," he revealed. This threw the boy for a loop. What could he possibly mean by that? "I do not die this day little fighter, and you are most certainly not the one that puts an end to me."

"What are you talking about?" Gohan demanded. Baldur just chuckled.

"Do you really know nothing of our culture? Strange, but not wholly unsurprising. Allow me to reintroduce myself; my name is Baldur, one of the eldest sons of Odin. On the day of my birth, there was a prophecy. My death marks the end of all worlds and the beginning of Ragnarok. It's not exactly a well-kept secret among our Pantheon."

"Ragnarok…?" Even the word gave the boy chills. Gohan shook them off, dismissing it as the ramblings of a lunatic. The notion of a prophecy protecting someone from death before a certain time was absurd and borderline ridiculous. "I'm not convinced. Call me a skeptic but I don't buy it!"

"You don't have to believe it. I know what's to come. My death has been laid out in front of me! I fall at the hands of a demon so powerful, so evil and twisted that even the gods don't dare speak its name! A true monster in every sense of the word, an amalgamation of every nightmare in existence!" Baldur proclaimed spreading his arms out wide, his power increasing around him. "I've seen it. The beginning of Ragnarok! Worlds will burn and mass extinction lies in its wake!"

Gohan floated a few meters away from him. Baldur sounded like a madman with the way he had boldly proclaimed his own death. It was almost like he was _proud_ to know that he dies in such a way.

"I've heard enough!" Gohan snapped, charging at the man. Streaks of golden light littered the sky as Gohan and Baldur clashed.

Just like before, Rias could barely see what was happening. Even so, despite Baldur clearly trying much harder than he was, her new warrior friend seemed to be dominating the god. Hel had appeared on the top of a rock formation a long way from the fight. From what Rias could see, she was building her own power. A pitch black hurricane of pure magical energy started to form around her.

The two Norse Gods seemed completely occupied with Gohan that they had forgotten about Rias.

A thought then occurred to the heiress; should she run? Her friend was giving her an opportunity to get away, but it didn't seem like there was anywhere to run _to_. Every horizon just seemed to stretch on to more wasteland. This was clearly one of the uninhabitable zones that had formed due to the Devil Civil War.

Just one of many. A good portion of the Underworld had been completely annihilated.

A brutal shockwave ripped through the land as a golden light fell out of the sky and hit the unforgiving terrain below it. Baldur had seemingly been knocked out of the fight and had lost consciousness before he had hit the ground. Rias saw Gohan turn in the sky and launch a volley of energy at Hel that swallowed her up in a cloud of smoke. The crimson princess watched with bated breath as her new friend descended from the sky with a calmness about him that any nine-year-old in this situation _shouldn't_ have.

Hel appeared next to Baldur in a black flash of magical energy. Her body was scarred and her dress nearly ripped to shreds. She had cuts and bruises all over her body and the corners of her mouth were leaking blood. Rias steeled her nerves and flew closer to get a better view, despite knowing that it was probably a bad idea.

Gohan was in far better shape, despite sporting his own minor injuries. Half of his upper shirt was torn and a small gash over his left eyebrow had formed, leaving a small trail of blood to drip down his face. However, he didn't look tired in the slightest. His stamina was still in tip-top form from what Rias could see.

"_Incredible… he's just a human and he's fighting off two Norse deities!_"

"You little brat," Hel hissed. Gohan remained determined and he held her livid gaze in his own.

"You brought this on yourself," he chided. "I have no reason to kill you. Just leave us alone. We both know what will happen if we continue this fight."

"We're gods," Hel snapped arrogantly. "Do you think we are just going to bow our heads and turn tail because you allow us to do so!?" she roared, her deathly aura expanding violently. The son of Goku couldn't place his finger on what exactly it meant to be a God. So far, these guys didn't fight like any of his previous foes. Baldur was a brawler with no real technique. Sure, the man was incredibly powerful considering he was forced to transform into a Super Saiyan and subsequently Baldur had started taking the fight more seriously.

Despite that, Gohan didn't find fighting him any easier or harder than before. What defined a God in this strange universe? Did it have something to do with the fact that he couldn't sense them? Whatever it was, it was only a minor frustration, his raw speed allowed him to outpace his enemy with ease and he could predict his opponent's sloppy attack patterns. Baldur was durable and strong, but Gohan's skill and raw power far outclassed the god.

Something that Gohan did note, was that a good portion of the ragged man's power came from light. It was almost thematic, seeing as Hel's power seemed to correlate to shadows and… death.

"I don't care what you are," the prodigy child replied uncaringly. "If you won't listen to reason and my warnings, I _will_ kill you," he finished, remembering Android Sixteen's final words to him. He could only give so much leeway and warning before action _must_ be taken. He had pleaded with Cell, begged even. Fighting was not something he loved in this sense. Not this way. Killing was abhorrent in his mind. However, if his battle with Cell taught him anything…

"_There are those who words cannot reach._"

Sometimes lives must be taken for the good of all others.

A tough pill to swallow, but ever since he could walk evil had been a constant presence. The only time it was ever truly vanquished, was when blood was spilled.

A terrifying howl echoed across the wasteland, causing Gohan to shift his attention to the surrounding area. It was loud, enough to shake the ground beneath his feet. Something was coming, and judging by smug expression on the goddess' face it was hostile. Despite that, he still couldn't sense any threat coming his way. Whatever it was, it was like the two people he had been fighting. The half-Saiyan was starting to get frustrated that his skill in sensing opponents was failing him so badly here.

"You should care," Hel chuckled menacingly, as if she knew something Gohan didn't. "I can't _fathom_ how a brutish child like you has obtained such power. Whether it's some kind of Scared Gear or not is unimportant, but you should have never trampled on a god's pride," she spat, standing up straight. Her glare intensified as the warrior child turned back to her, his eyes narrowing. "How dare you stand your ground against someone like me. You should be groveling at my feet!"

"_Not even Vegeta was this arrogant,_" the hybrid thought. He used to think Vegeta was the pinnacle of hubris. Now that spot had been subsequently replaced by Hel.

Hel's anger suddenly quelled, much to the half-Saiyan's surprise. Gohan watched her inhale and calm herself. Even with all her injuries, she still stood tall as if they didn't bother her. A newfound strength seemed to radiate from her as she ran a hand through her hair. The child warrior's hairs began to stand on end as a chilling dread began crawling up his spine. She knew she was beaten, so why the sudden change in attitude?

It had to have something to do with the howl.

"You will," she sighed pleasantly. "Any moment now, you will learn why we _gods_ are feared," Hel continued, chuckling ominously. "Impudent little boy, the grains of sand in your hourglass are about to run out."

"GOHAN, WATCH OUT!" he heard Rias scream from a distance. He spun, his eyes locking onto the top of a nearby cliff. A giant shadow loomed, dark as the night sky. Feral eyes gleaming yellow as the creature peered down at the boy. The half-Saiyan immediately shifted into a defensive stance after seeing the giant monster. It was easily twenty times the size of him! It's fangs gleamed dangerously, dripping with saliva, as if the beast was hungry to consume.

He heard Hel burst into laughter once more.

"Fenrir!" she commanded. "KILL HIM!"

Instantly, the giant wolf exploded off the top of the rock formation. The monstrous wolf's speed, shocking even Gohan. He hadn't expected something so big to move that fast. He had less than a few seconds before the beast was upon him, but that still gave him plenty of time. He tried to move but found himself paralyzed completely. Shadows had crept up around his feet while he had taken his attention off Hel.

She had ensnared him!

"_I can't get free!_" Gohan thought, his heart racing. Once again, he could hear the blood pumping throughout his body. If he had enough time to summon the energy to ascend, he would, but Fenrir was already on him. It was as if time had frozen. His legs and lower torso were trapped, bound to the ground by dark tendrils. Powering up as fast as he could, the dark bonds binding him to the spot loosened under the strain of his immense energy.

In a frantic attempt to stave off his attacker he threw his fist forwards into the beasts open maw, completely shattering one of the deadly fangs. However, despite the agonized howl, the maw closed around his shoulder. God-killing fangs sunk into Gohan's shoulder, despite the insurmountable energy he was surrounded with. His eyes were glazed over in shock as the monster tore through skin, bone, and muscle in a single instance.

It was a bizarre feeling, one Gohan couldn't describe at all.

His vision was waning as it was quickly overtaken by a red haze, unbearable pain flooding his body. He tried desperately to scream but nothing came. He could feel Fenrir's hot breath around his shoulder. Suddenly, without warning, the monster dropped him. He hit the ground, the shadow that had caught him finally dissipating.

The world became cold, his body was numb.

What was happening?

Why was the world spinning?

What was going on?

Why was he even _here_?

…

Who was he?

There was a smell, a taste… it was… metallic and thick. He knew this smell, this taste.

_Blood_.

Whose blood?

Two figures suddenly covered his vision. He saw… Rias and…

Serafall? What was she doing here? He saw their mouths open and close but no words came out of them. The world around him was silent and cold. So cold. They were both crying. Why? Everything was okay, wasn't it?

He was tired. So very tired.

He needed to rest. He'd talk to them when he woke up. He closed his eyes, despite being shaken.

Gohan was sure he'd wake up.

=/=

* * *

=/=

Blood stained the ground beneath the lifeless child, gingerly held by the first person he had met when arriving in this world not a day earlier.

"GOHAN!" Serafall cried, desperation straining her voice.

The boy's life slipped away as the dirt and rock beneath him pooled in his own blood. The hole in his shoulder was so big they could see the ground he was lying on through his body. Bone had been severed cleanly along with muscle. Blood was streaming out of the boy's mouth, his blonde hair shifting back to black the moment his heart stopped.

"No…"

The Leviathan's voice was barely audible.

They had arrived too late.

Akeno alerted them to what was happening after they'd found her nearly unconscious in the courtyard. The moment Hel's magic had vanished they were able to pinpoint where Rias and Gohan had been taken, but they only arrived just in time to see Fenrir bite down on Gohan, draining the boy's life rapidly. God-killing power was something Fenrir was feared for. Hel had been laughing until she was immediately crushed by Ajuka Beelzebub's monstrous power. She had been too busy lording over her victory to notice that the Underworld's most powerful had arrived on the scene.

One by one, multiple Devil houses teleported in, news of Rias Gremory's abduction having spread like wildfire. Those loyal to House Gremory arrived to give their support, the Sitri clan among them. A fierce blast from Serafall's magic caused Fenrir to retreat, only to be captured by Sirzechs and Grayfia. The giant wolf was being pinned to the ground, howling in agony as blood streamed from his mouth where Gohan had shattered one of its teeth.

The entire Underworld was in an uproar in a matter of moments.

"How!?" Hel demanded. She looked around, panic clear on her features. One of the Devil Kings, Falbium Asmodeus had picked up the unconscious Baldur and thrown him over his shoulder. The rough bald man regarded her briefly before vanishing in a flash of purple light, clearly taking the god away for questioning. "How did you get past my magic!? You should all be-"

"Save your excuses for someone who cares. I'm sure those in Asgard will be very interested to hear what you have to say," Ajuka sighed. A quick blast to the back of her head rendered her unconscious. "I will return shortly once she is secure," the Beelzebub informed the group casually, walking over to Fenrir. Placing a hand on the gigantic wolf, he teleported both himself, Hel, and the God Slaying monster to a more secure part of the Underworld.

"All of the assailants are in custody," Grayfia declared, looking around. "I will inform Lord Odin of this immediately, Master," she bowed. Sirzechs gave no verbal response as his wife turned and teleported away. The man walked over to the deceased boy, one he had been talking with pleasantly no more than an hour ago. His fists curled, an uncharacteristic move for someone as controlled as he was. Son Gohan had been inside the seemingly safe vicinity of his home, arguably the most secure place in the Underworld.

Yet he had been caught up in one of the boldest attempts at a kidnapping in recorded history. It was insulting to even comprehend how it had taken them this long catch up. Sirzechs hadn't realized it, but he started glowing in anger, his true form nearly being released. Of all the assailants to stage a kidnapping attempt… two Norse Gods and one of the most dangerous monsters ever birthed.

Whoever wanted his little sister must have pulled out all the stops to ensure that this endeavor would succeed. It was fortunate that they didn't account for this boy. A human so powerful he would have made all the heroes of legend look like inadequate monkeys. Yet, despite all the power he had, there was no way he could have survived a bite from Fenrir.

Fangs that could kill even the strongest of gods.

The poor boy hadn't been in the Underworld longer than a day.

He had made friends with his younger sister, and made a very positive impression on him as well. Sirzechs Lucifer did not truly know Son Gohan nor his history. The child was a stranger to him, as well as Serafall.

Yet…

The King of the Underworld grieved all the same. As did all around him.

"Search the area for any others," Sirzechs commanded. "If there are, I want them found."

A good portion of the devils that had arrived to support them took to the skies and began searching the barren wasteland high and low.

He turned back to Gohan's body, both Rias and Serafall kneeling on either side of him. The sky thundered, a dangerous storm brewing on the horizon. A fitting backdrop for such a horrific day. There was a pit of guilt in the man's stomach. He had promised to help find the boy a way back to his home. Yet, in the same day, he had foolishly allowed Gohan's life to slip away.

It had been a coordinated effort to kidnap his sister, by two Norse Gods no less. It was a confirmation of the existence of the Khaos Brigade. How they had managed to influence two incredibly powerful deities from the Norse Pantheon was beyond him. Another question plaguing him was why would the two gods stoop as low as kidnapping? He had dealt with Hel and her ilk before. Their arrogance was unbound. Baldur was a different story altogether.

As far as he was concerned, Baldur was loyal to Odin, and the Underworld happened to be in good standing with Asgard.

No matter, he would discover the reasons himself later.

"Rias," Sirzechs heard Serafall say. "What are you doing?" the Leviathan asked, her voice devoid of most emotion. The crimson princess in question had summoned her Evil Pieces into her trembling hands without saying a word. She looked between her remaining pieces with glassy eyes, trying to determine which one to use on her new friend. The watery eyes made it rather hard for her to focus.

"I'm saving him," she responded simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"He's already gone, Rias," Serafall tried to say, however the young Heiress was having none of it.

"I'M NOT LETTING HIM DIE LIKE THIS!" she screamed in denial. Sirzechs and Serafall watched as Rias tried a knight piece, only to have it rejected almost immediately. She doubled up, only to watch in anguish as her pieces were rejected almost immediately after entering his body. She tried everything, sinking in as much of her demonic power as she could to try and revive the boy. However, it proved to be a fruitless endeavor.

Both rooks, bishops, knights and all eight pawns were rejected.

Upon her final failure, Rias burst into tears. Her screams of misery echoed off the still wasteland. She barely knew Gohan. She wanted to get to know him more and hang out. He was so nice, caring, and strong. He… he gave his life for her, despite barely even knowing her. What kind of person does that!? What kind of boy was Gohan, to give his life for someone he barely even knew!? Why did it tear her up so much inside to feel his body grow colder?

"It's n-not fair," she muttered, turning to her older brother. Lady and Lord Gremory finally walked up to the group, having witnessed the display from afar. They gently took Rias and pulled her to her feet. The girl couldn't seem to control her tears. A bright flash and Ajuka Beelzebub returned to the scene, having dealt with Hel and Fenrir respectfully. He glanced at the corpse of the fallen boy, grimacing slightly. Rias finally managed to find the proper words to address her brother. "Please… do something."

"Is there nothing that can be done?" Zeoticus Gremory asked, resting a hand sympathetically on Rias' shoulder. "The boy… he saved Rias."

"He did," Sirzechs commented as Grayfia returned to his side in a crimson flash. She gave him a curt nod, silently telling him that Asgard had been informed of the events that had transpired. She returned to staring at the boy, having noticed that Rias had tried to use her Evil Pieces to revive him, only to end in unsurprising failure. "If I had the pieces available, I would resurrect him myself," the Lord of Hell explained, exhaling in an exasperated manner. He could see the look on Rias' face twist into silent rage. "However, I am certain, given what we all sensed that I do not have the power nor pieces to spare to bring Son Gohan back from the dead."

"Not even you…?" Venelana Gremory asked, slightly bewildered. Sirzechs sighed once more.

"Perhaps if I had all eight of my pawns. Some of them would even have to be mutated pieces. Even then…" he trailed off. Looking at the boy, he couldn't help but frown. The sheer power exerted could be felt from all over the Underworld. Even if the child could be resurrected into a devil, his power would only _multiply_. It was a scary thought. This human child had fought off two Norse Gods, only to be cut down by one of the most terrifying creatures in all nine realms.

Just a normal human boy, with no Sacred Gear.

To even imagine the kind of strength he could gain if he were revived… it would be beyond comprehension.

"We have to do something," Serafall stated finally. All attention turned to her as she lifted Gohan's head onto her knees. With a steady breath, she summoned her Evil Pieces, shocking the group around her. "I refuse to send him home in a casket. I don't think I would be able to face his family if I let this be his final resting place. Better a devil than dead."

"Serafall...!" Ajuka exclaimed, shocked at her actions. She, on multiple occasions, had declined to consider a peerage. She was the only Satan without one. The Leviathan was known across the entire Underworld as being the strongest female devil alive, and one who proudly refused a peerage. To think… she was going to change one of those things now was almost unthinkable! After hundreds of years, for this boy!?

"Are you sure?" Sirzechs stated, his tone serious. "I may tease you a lot for not having a peerage, but it always seemed like something you took pride in," he continued, watching as she took all eight of her pawns. She fingered each pawn carefully, as if carefully contemplating what she was really about to do. She remembered each word he had spoken since they had met the previous day.

He was young. Too young for this to be how he died.

He was determined to find a way home to his family. Now… it had been robbed from him.

"I don't care for the rumors about my lack of a peerage," she declared, sinking her eight pawns into the corpse of the young warrior. Unlike with Rias, there seemed to be a momentary pause while the Evil Pieces worked. However, to everyone's dissatisfaction, the body rejected them. "No way…" she cried. Rias began sobbing even louder in the background, realizing that not even Serafall, the strongest of all female devils, could do it.

"Incredible," Ajuka murmured. "Not even someone as powerful as she, can do it with all eight pawns."

"It's no wonder all of Rias' pieces were rejected immediately," Sirzechs commented sadly. Serafall growled, using every piece in her arsenal. Despite all her efforts, just like Rias, all pieces were rejected, leaving her with her final piece. Arguably the most powerful piece, aside from a King.

The queen.

Serafall wasn't sure why she was surprised. If all eight pawns weren't good enough, nothing short of a queen piece would be enough to revive him. In her emotional state, she had tried every other piece just in case, and doubled up on them. Now she only had her queen left. Staring at the piece in her hand with her sapphire blue eyes, she came to a surprising realization. Why was she even hesitating? Who else but Gohan would be worthy enough to stand at her side?

She had been waiting for hundreds of years to find the right person. Everything she wanted in a queen, Gohan had displayed within the first hour of her meeting him. Serafall took one more look at the boy, before glancing over toward Rias. The Gremory heiress was waiting with bated breath for any sign of good news.

Thunder rumbled overhead as drops of rain started to hit the ground around them. Serafall levitated the queen piece over Gohan's body and allowed it to sink into his chest. The unmoving body accepted it briefly. For a moment, nothing happened. Serafall waited for the link to establish, to feel some kind of bond with Gohan. The moment she felt that, was when she could start the resurrection process.

She waited.

Everyone waited.

The body then unapologetically spat the queen piece out.

When it rains… it pours.

The sound of a collapsing body sounded from behind her, Rias having fallen to her knees in disbelief. Lord and Lady Gremory looked upon Gohan and Serafall sadly while the female Satan stared at the deceased body, wondering why that had happened.

Not even her queen piece could save him?

"If I hadn't been here to see this," Grayfia said softly. "I never would have believed it. Not even Lady Leviathan's queen piece was enough to bring this boy back from oblivion," the maid-themed woman stated remorsefully. Her attention turned to Ajuka when the Beelzebub started walking forward. Strolling over, the technologically inclined Satan picked up Serafall's queen piece and inspected it briefly.

Unlike the others, he wasn't all that surprised. Having designed the Evil Pieces, he knew exactly how they worked and what it took to resurrect someone from the dead. It hadn't been an intended feature. Sure, the pieces were created to restore the numbers of the Devils lost in the Great War, but their purpose was never meant to specifically bring people back from the dead. It was to convert _living _beings to devils.

The resurrection process was a surprising side effect.

Regardless, if anything was going to bring this boy back, it was going to have to be stronger than a queen.

"What are you doing?" Serafall questioned the pale Beelzebub. Ajuka glanced back at her with an indifferent look on his face.

"Consider my interest piqued. You really were serious about resurrecting him as your queen," he stated. "However, it's not that you lack the power. It's that the piece itself isn't strong enough to convert him."

"What does that mean?" Sirzechs asked, adding to the conversation.

"It means he's not human," Ajuka retorted, lightning flashing in the background ominously. "Or at least… not entirely."

The green haired Satan held out his palm, allowing the queen piece to float up in front of his face. Closing his eyes and concentrating, the area surrounding the devils was flooded with immense power. The only person not visibly affected by Ajuka's sudden increase in power was Sirzechs. Everyone else had to brace themselves, both Lord and Lady Gremory shielding Rias from the immense concentration of demonic magic.

The queen piece started to shake violently as it absorbed an absurd amount of power. It started glowing chaotically, its physical form changing to a more neon red with spots of green and blue. Seeing as it was bonded with Serafall, there was a slight bluish tint to the queen piece. After a few moments, Ajuka let his power dissipate. Returning their attention to the Evil Piece in the Satan's grasp, everyone gasped at the visual changes, never before seen on an Evil Piece.

Ajuka just smirked.

"What have you done?" Sirzechs asked, curiosity piqued. That was no normal piece. The energy it was radiating was far more potent than any normal queen piece. He was hesitant to even label it a Mutation Piece due to the sheer amount of power it had.

"I don't really have a name for pieces like these. I suppose they are technically Mutation pieces, but I've been experimenting lately. I've only done so with a pawn and a bishop. This is the first queen of its kind," Ajuka explained, levitating the piece down to Gohan. The body swallowed the piece without complaint. "If that doesn't work then nothing will."

Sure enough, the body didn't reject the piece. Gohan's form started glowing and Serafall felt a bond establish. Her eyes widened with renewed hope, as did Rias'.

"The floor is yours, Lady Leviathan," Ajuka said with a smile. Serafall thanked him wordlessly, her expression displaying eternal gratitude. She stood up, towering over Gohan's motionless body. The female Satan allowed her power to expand, the Sitri clan's crest appearing underneath both herself, and the boy. She closed her eyes as a chilling breeze rushed around her and Gohan.

"**I beckon your soul from the great beyond, hear my voice for I am Serafall Leviathan! Rise as my servant, my queen! Son Gohan!**"

* * *

**A/N:**

**To any of those who even made it this far, I want to thank you. It really isn't easy making these sorts of stories. Power scaling is a bitch when it comes to crossovers, but I want there to be stakes. Otherwise, why write a story at all? At least like the one I'm wanting to write.**

**Like I said previously, nothing compares to DBZ. Planet busting is such a low-tier feat in the DBZ universe that it makes crossing over with anything virtually impossible from a realistic standpoint. I understand that completely. Unless the story itself is more romance focused or not centered around fighting then power scaling doesn't exactly matter. However, in a story like this, it will matter.**

**So yes, I am buffing DxD. It will be a gradual buff overtime as allies and enemies react to Gohan and rise to the challenge to stand beside him or against him. That's just how I do things (did the same thing in my other story This War of Mine). I don't see it as nerfing, however, if you see it that way, then I apologize.**

**Also, yeah, Gohan is becoming a devil. I'm sorry if you are disappointed in that aspect, but that was planned from the beginning, it's even somewhat alluded to in the title of the story. Perhaps it is an overdone concept, I can't really say for sure. The most DxD crossovers I've read have been Fate/Stay Night crossovers and in those stories, Shirou (the MC) has always remained human, aside from one of them. Few of you have made it clear that it was going to be a deal breaker, which is unfortunate, but I understand.**

**In saying that, I hope my take on it is interesting enough for you guys to continue.**

**Not sure what else to say. I will be trying to incorporate a lot of unused myths from Norse and Greek, along with some others. Don't expect me to follow canon at all as Gohan's mere presence has basically shifted and changed almost everything. Issei will show up eventually, but he'll be slightly different. Still perverted, but slightly different. The titty power-ups won't be a thing as it will most likely break the tone of the story, so his primary source of motivation will be different as well. Someone also asked what Gohan would even see in him anyway? I honestly, think Gohan would find him endearing to some degree. Issei is like a younger, more pervertedly focused Master Roshi. Last I checked, Gohan liked Roshi.**

**Anyways, I think that's all for now. If you guys stick around, I'll catch ya next time.**


	3. Chapter Three

**A/N:**

**Hey guys, got another chapter ready for y'all. Pretty happy overall with how the last chapter was received. I no doubt lost a couple of readers over power scaling stuff. A few expressed their displeasure, but what can ya do? Can't please everyone. I hope to make this a more unique experience and not follow common trends and troupes. Just because Gohan's a devil doesn't mean it's going to be the same old song and dance. Cheers for all the reviews and support so far, really appreciate you guys giving this story a shot.**

**Dmoose18 didn't get the chance to edit this chapter due to real life commitments, so I had my two beta readers Doomguy914 and Cruzerblade pour over this chapter. Please forgive any errors that slipped passed us. I'll do my best to correct anything that you guys pick up on. We do argue amongst ourselves on the capitalization of certain things.**

**Not much to say here unlike in the other two chapters. I do like to keep my beginning notes brief. Enjoy!**

**E/N: Hey, dmoose18 here. I'm away from home for my cousin's wedding and am currently very busy. However, I will be editing the chapter tomorrow so a slightly different version will be posted then. No story elements will be changed, so if you've read the chapter prior to my edits you won't be missing anything. Sorry for the inconvenience! Hopefully you all enjoy the chapter regardless of what mistakes may be there. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

_Chapter Three_

Numbness and emptiness suddenly exploded into life and color as Gohan awoke with a desperate gasp.

He sat up immediately, his body was trembling, the sheets below him drenched in sweat. He was still trying to work out what exactly had happened. He remembered dying as clear as day. The pain. The blood. The numbness which followed. They were all too vivid to be anything but real, the echoes of agony racked his body even now. He slowly raised a hand and ran it over his shoulder. There didn't seem to be a wound or any scarring. A quick glance at his left shoulder showed that it was completely healed, as if it had never been bitten.

"What's going on…?" Gohan wondered aloud. He noticed he was back in Serafall's bed and the Devil King herself wasn't anywhere to be seen. Sitting on the nightstand beside the bed was a fresh set of his purple gi. Getting out of bed, he slowly walked over and put the clothes on.

As he did so, he couldn't help but feel something strange. He wasn't quite sure what it was. It was almost like the room was… brighter than it should be. Brushing it aside, he finished changing and headed towards the bedroom door. There was a tinge of sweetness in the air, akin to fresh baking, following the scent he arrived at his door.

Reaching for the handle he turned it while yawning in the process. That was some sleep he had!

A loud snap could be heard as the handle snapped off. Gohan looked down at his hand, puzzled at what he was seeing. Did that actually just happen? He hadn't woken up still a Super Saiyan, had he?

"_Faulty maybe? The door does look pretty old,"_ Gohan reasoned. The last time he had trouble controlling his strength was when he was preparing for the Cell games and tried to stay in Super Saiyan while living normally. He never had an issue without being transformed before. He quickly checked his hair, just to make sure he wasn't. Lo and behold, his hair was black. His expression of puzzlement only deepened.

"Weird," he mumbled as he pushed on the door. Another snap could be heard as the door frame buckled. The door itself hit the carpeted ground outside the bedroom with an audible slam that echoed throughout the entire mansion. Gohan looked down at the broken door, his tired curious expression changing to something akin to terror. "Ah! Why did THAT happen!?" the boy panicked.

A flash of blue appeared to his right as Serafall walked out of a teleportation glyph.

"Oh! You're awake- AHHH! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY DOOR!?"

"I-I… I didn't mean to!" Gohan raised his hands in defense. Serafall glared at him for a few seconds before she allowed her expression to soften. She gave a heavy sigh before she snapped her fingers. The door was encased in a magical blue outline. Gohan stepped out of the way as it levitated up and reattached itself to the doorframe. With a soft click, it was repaired perfectly. The half-Saiyan stared in awe as Serafall dusted her hands. "Just what can magic _not_ do?"

The Satan girl smirked, allowing her smile to brighten the moody atmosphere. However, as quick as it came, it vanished, replaced by a somber look. Gohan noticed her very quick change and allowed his smile to fade as well. The two stared at each other rather awkwardly. Serafall wasn't quite sure what to say to Gohan, while the half-Saiyan wasn't sure where to start.

"Gohan… we need to talk."

That was how he found himself at the table downstairs in the same kitchen as before, and just like the last time he was sharing a delightful meal with Serafall. That had been a happier moment, but now the atmosphere was tainted with melancholy. Gohan fancy himself a master at reading emotions, but it was hard to miss the anxiousness that the Devil King showed.

She had confirmed the horrible truth. He had been hoping it was just a strangely vivid dream or some kind of magic, but it was as he subconsciously feared. The pain, the agony, the suffering, then the unforgettable sensation of numbness that washed over his body. There was no way he _hadn't_ died… but that left one question.

Why was he still here?

"How… did I survive?"

"You didn't," Serafall answered bluntly. Her expression was downtrodden and filled to the brim with undeniable guilt. She looked just as miserable as he felt. What felt even worse was that he hadn't even let his guard down. He had the power to overwhelm them, but he had been outsmarted. In the moment when his guard mattered the most, he had been trapped by Hel's magic. If only he had more knowledge on how their abilities had worked he might have survived. Although, there was another huge disadvantage he had to deal with. "You died. As would anyone who gets bitten by Fenrir."

"Fenrir?" Gohan paused, remembering the giant wolf. He recalled Hel calling out, commanding the giant monster to kill him. The half-Saiyan was certain his power had been enough to defend against the wolf's bite. He certainly had more than enough ki to survive whatever Cell would have thrown at him… so why did Fenrir's fangs completely ignore his defenses? It didn't make any sense! "That's the giant wolf right?"

"He's one of the most feared creatures in all the nine realms. Child of Loki, the Norse God of Mischief. That beast's claws can tear through any armor and magical defense, while its fangs can kill any god. I wouldn't face it alone, Hell, not even Sirzechs or Ajuka would dare face off against it alone. If anyone were to face that monster, we'd do it as a team," the Leviathan girl explained grimly.

"It can… kill gods?"

"Yes, hence why some label him a God-Slayer."

"But… why couldn't I sense them? I just… they aren't androids, clearly. I just… I don't understand."

"Humans aren't able to sense gods or those of their descendants through traditional means. They have an immortal soul that prevents them from being detected by normal people, regardless how well they've mastered sensory or Senjutsu, the only exception being if you possess a Sacred Gear. The three you fought were among the strongest. You were lucky to live as long as you did," Serafall explained. She never broke eye contact with Gohan. She watched as the boy stared down at his hands, as if he couldn't comprehend why he had lost. "You have to understand, even _I _wouldn't fight against Baldur, Hel, _and_ Fenrir alone. They are among some of the strongest in the Norse Pantheon."

"But I-"

"No buts. You might be incredibly powerful, Gohan. Stronger than any human I've ever seen and maybe the strongest in _history_. Even so, fighting gods is another matter entirely."

"I had to do something!" Gohan protested. "Rias was… I couldn't just let him kidnap her!"

"I understand that. Thanks to you she was retrieved safely. Baldur and Hel have been detained and Fenrir sent back to Asgard." Serafall continued. She allowed herself to sigh, calming her thoughts. There was a light trickle against the walls of her mansion, giving off a calm and quiet atmosphere as the rain started to pour down outside. Gohan just sat at the table in dejected silence. "As we have found out from Baldur, they were working for the Khaos Brigade, more specifically the OId Satan Faction. That's why they were after Rias but _why_ Baldur and Hel were doing their dirty work is still under investigation."

"You guys don't know why they were the ones to try and kidnap Rias?"

"With Baldur it's a matter of putting the pieces together. I pity him. Cursed by his mother to live an unfeeling and undying life. He's been searching for longer a way to cure it far longer than I've been alive. He was probably sweet-talked into doing dirty work to get information. But Hel…?" Serafall shook her head and sighed once again. "Still don't have a clue why she'd ally with the Old Satan faction. What she has to gain is beyond any of us and she refuses to talk."

Gohan remained silent, his success in saving Rias was outweighed by his failure to actually stop both Hel, Baldur, and Fenrir. He was even more disturbed by how easily he had died. He remembered how invincible he felt when he faced Cell. He felt like a _god_. Sure it was uncontrolled arrogance, but that's how intoxicating that power was. Perhaps if he had ascended, the fight would have turned out differently?

But if Fenrir's fangs were as dangerous as Serafall was claiming them to be, would his ascended form's abilities even be enough to defend against that? A part of him felt that it didn't matter how strong he would be. Just by the sounds of it, he could have been a thousand times stronger than he was right now and still Fenrir's fangs would have killed him. His speed on the other hand, would have changed the outcome of that fight, without a doubt.

"If I died… how am I alive?"

"And there it is," Serafall mumbled. Gohan lifted his head to look at her. She had a rather stern but sorrowful expression. "I revived you. It was a difficult process, but in the end, I was able to resurrect you back from the dead."

"Oh…" Gohan replied, a small smile crossing his features. "Thank-"

"Don't thank me yet," Serafall cut him off. "There's a catch."

"Huh?"

"Are you aware of our Evil Piece system?" she questioned. Gohan nodded slowly, remembering his conversation with Rias and Akeno before the fighting broke out. He remembered Rias saying something about it being developed to restore and replenish the number of devils lost in the Great War. It started to click with Gohan what exactly had happened. All he had to do was wait until Serafall confirmed it.

"Yeah, Rias told me about it."

"Then you are aware that devils cannot revive people under normal means. What I did has changed you irreversibly."

Gohan wasn't a fool. It took him a few moments to put the pieces together. A pit formed in his stomach, a sense of dread climbing up his spine.

"I'm a devil now," Gohan concluded. There was a brief moment of silence as Serafall sighed once again.

"Yes," she did not mince her words. "I'm sorry it came to this. If there were any other way, I would have done it. I know how much you want to go home. I just thought sending you home a devil is better than in a casket."

That was a rather grim thought. He hadn't even been here that long and he had already died. He had been caught up in something he didn't quite understand and paid the ultimate price for that ignorance. He had been in an unknown place where people had unknown abilities and he treated the fight as though he was fighting an enemy back home. He wanted to kick himself for being so stupid!

"Okay… so I'm a devil? Is that how it works?" Gohan asked, his voice betraying his curiosity. "To be quite honest, I don't feel any different. Is that normal?"

Serafall blinked, her somber expression changing to confusion.

"You're… not mad?" she questioned. Gohan shrugged a little.

"I'm mad at myself more than anything else. How could I be mad at you? You saved me."

"I turned you into a devil! You're not a human anymore!"

"Technically, I was only half-human to begin with," Gohan retorted lightly, causing Serafall to deadpan.

"I- what?"

"While my mother is human, my father is from a warrior race called the 'Saiyans' and it's because of him I'm as strong as I am. He trained me, and being a Saiyan comes with a large increase in fighting power," Gohan replied, giving Serafall the short version. The girl actually looked more confused than before. "I'm from another dimension, so is it really that hard to believe? I mean devils, angels, and all that stuff is really crazy to me!"

"I suppose it's not that much of a stretch," Serafall mused, looking a little calmer. "Although that would explain why resurrecting you was such a hassle. I swear, I was going to start panicking if Ajuka didn't help me out," she admitted. Gohan's eyebrows raised at the new name she dropped. He felt like he should know it, despite never hearing it before.

"Ajuka?"

"Beelzebub," Serafall added. "He's the inventor of the Evil Piece system. He appeared along with Sirzechs and everyone else to fend off Fenrir, Hel, and Baldur. Your little display had the Underworld in an uproar!" she chuckled. She then summoned some strange looking crimson chess pieces to the table and gestured to them. "None of my pawns worked on you. Neither did any of my other pieces. I tried my rook, bishop and even my knight! I even doubled up to make sure! I was starting to think none of them would work!"

"I don't see the queen piece," Gohan murmured. "Am I your Queen?"

"Yes, but… well, you're not any normal Queen," Serafall retorted. "The queen piece was actually the last piece I tried and it still didn't work. I needed Ajuka to help me. Thanks to him the Evil Piece turned into a unique mutated queen. Only then was I able to properly revive you."

"A… mutated queen? What does that mean?" Gohan queried. He didn't remember Rias mentioning anything about mutated pieces. Even the name of it sounded strange and didn't exactly give him any clues on what they do.

"A mutated piece is far more potent than any normal piece. They are stronger, in the simplest of terms. Mutated pieces are so rare, they are most often found as pawns. However, a mutated queen is almost unheard of. You've basically made Underworld history because of it."

"So, I'm famous now?"

"No… not really. Well, I guess you are. However, aside from the other Satans and a few higher noble clans, no one knows who you are. What they do know, is that Serafall Leviathan just got herself a Queen," she finished, rolling her eyes. Half the Devils that had arrived with Sirzechs and Ajuka had been dumbfounded when Serafall had been the one to revive Gohan.

Her first peerage member. She had no doubt she'd be the talk of the Underworld for the next few decades.

"That's… er, nice," Gohan said sheepishly. He didn't really care for popularity. "So what now?"

"Well, for starters, getting you home is going to be a lot more difficult now. You're a devil now and my Queen, if you were to disappear it would cause quite a few problems," Serafall explained. Gohan's expression dropped to a more somber one as that fact got him thinking. Serafall had a point. He was part of her peerage now, and from what Rias explained, a peerage was almost like family. He was bound to Serafall. However, he wasn't about to get upset about that when she had saved his life.

"Well, I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. My family and friends are making preparations to come and get me anyway so we can figure it out whenever that happens," Gohan replied nonchalantly. Serafall opened her mouth to say something but quickly shut it, as if she had trouble processing what her new Queen had just said.

"Your family is coming to get you?" she asked incredulously. "How do you know that?"

"Oh!" Gohan exclaimed, a sheepish look erupting across his face. "I guess I forgot to mention it. While we were on the train, I had a dream where I met this giant red dragon. He delivered a message to me from my home. My family and friends are trying to find a way to get here. I'm not sure how long it will be, but from it the sounds of it, I'm gonna be here for quite some time."

"A giant red… dragon…?" Serafall trailed off before her eyes bulged out in surprise. "YOU MET GREAT RED!?"

"Uh, yeah? What's the big deal?"

"BIG DEAL!? WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL!?" Serafall boomed, her screeching voice echoing throughout her entire mansion while her arms flailed wildly. Gohan was sure if it continued, she'd damage his ears! "HE'S ONLY THE MOST POWERFUL BEING IN ALL OF EXISTENCE! DON'T YOU THINK THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING YOU SHOULD MENTION!?"

"Can you please stop screaming," Gohan asked nicely, a little shaken by her overly loud voice. "I didn't know okay? Can you blame me? I had barely been in this place longer than a day. I didn't know how important he was."

Serafall was fuming so badly her face was slowly turning red. Not only had her new Queen met one of the most powerful dragons in all of creation in his head, but he had also talked to him! _She_ hadn't had the pleasure of exchanging words with the Legendary Red Dragon God! However, the logic of the younger warrior sunk in and she managed to calm herself down with a few huffs. Although, that didn't mean she was still happy about it.

"Okay-okay. I get it- BUT! You need to tell me about these sorts of things okay!? If it happens again, _I_ am the very first person you need to tell. This is VERY important. Please don't forget to tell me in the future."

"Yeah! I got it! Tell you everything!" Gohan laughed nervously. "I'll be sure to remember that."

"Good. Now, get off that little butt of yours! We have things to do and time's-a-wastin!"

"Oh? Like what?" Gohan asked. Serafall merely grinned.

"Well, for starters, we need to get you acquainted with devil culture and how the Underworld works! Since you just became a devil, your body is undoubtedly stronger along with your initial power, so we should probably get a handle on that before anything else. I don't want to be repairing any more doors," Serafall pondered aloud, causing the boy to flush in embarrassment. "Have you noticed any kind of increase in your power?"

In truth, he hadn't really thought about it. He would need to power up to really see if anything had changed. He felt normal, as normal as he had ever been.

"No, not really," Gohan replied honestly. Serafall placed a hand to her chin in thought. After a few moments, her face brightened significantly.

"Come on, let's go outside. Someone like you is bound to have improved a whole bunch! Who knows?" Serafall sang happily. "You might just surprise yourself."

Gohan shrugged and got up from his seat to follow her. The two of them took a short trip outside to an open area in front of the Leviathan mansion. There was a nice open flat space in front of the building. It was well kept and decorative. It would be a shame to ruin it, but it appeared as if Serafall didn't really care all that much. She turned around with a small hop, demonstrating her excitement.

"Alright then! Show me what you got!"

"Uh…" Gohan looked rather confused. "Do you want me to… fight you?"

"No, silly!" Serafall scolded. "Just power up. Summon as much power as you can. You're obviously experienced so I shouldn't have to explain the basics."

"Oh, okay then," the half-Saiyan responded taking up a stance. He centered himself and focused, allowing his mind to calm in the process. He wasn't quite sure what kind of power he was rocking now so he had to be careful not to overdo it. His training with his father reminded him that if he pushed his ki too far, it could do serious damage to his body. If what Serafall said was true and he was a lot stronger than before, then he had to be careful.

"Hang on," the boy said suddenly, a thoughtful look crossing his features. "Wouldn't this draw unwanted attention?"

"Huh?" she blinked in slight confusion before dismissively waving him off. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. I have hundreds of suppression wards surrounding my home. If I didn't, practicing my magical girl attacks and poses would constantly annoy half the Underworld with all the energy I use," Serafall laughed. Gohan wasn't sure if he should even question that. Better just to leave that be for now.

"Well, if it's okay with you, I guess it's fine."

"Don't hold back!" she giggled in anticipation.

Balling his fists and summoning forth his energy, a familiar white flaming aura appeared around him. He allowed his energy to grow at a steady pace, taking care to not push too far. The longer this went on, the more comfortable Gohan became in releasing his energy. Growing a bit more confident, he bent his knees a little, a small growl eliciting from his throat as he began to push a little harder.

The wind picked up and started rustling the grass and trees all around him. Serafall's hair was starting to blow backward from the sheer force of the energy that Gohan was summoning. She then began to notice something. While his body was surrounded by that incredible flaming white aura, the surface of his skin started to take on a small aqua blue outline.

"_His demonic energy is leaking out,_" she mused. Gohan seemed to take notice as well and halted his power increase.

"Serafall? What's this?" he lifted his hands to examine the sapphire outline a little better. Now that he was releasing his power more, he began to notice another spring of energy inside of him, one that he was not at all familiar with. It seemed he had unintentionally begun drawing on this well of energy. It wasn't anything like ki. It felt similar, but at the same time, there were other strange properties to it he was not understanding.

"That's your demonic energy!" she called out. "Since you're a devil now, your body will produce demonic power. You will be able to learn all kinds of things with it, like teleportation and materialization," she explained. That prospect was rather exciting. He nodded as Serafall gestured for him to continue.

He pushed harder, the winds around him picking up some more. Serafall still stood tall, unaffected by the winds. Gohan felt himself reaching his previous maximum. A small part of him was shocked when he surpassed it effortlessly and his energy still continued to grow without showing signs of stopping. His body didn't seem to be under any kind of strain either.

"_Alright, enough holding back,_" Gohan thought as he steeled himself. With a roar, he pushed his power even further. He started to feel his body straining. After a few moments, he hit the ceiling of his base power. He allowed it to equalize as he stood up straight. He took another look at his hands, admiring the new depths of his power. His jaw almost dropped at how much stronger he was. It was almost inconceivable!

"_Incredible!" _Serafall thought, her mouth slightly ajar. "_He's already as powerful as an Ultimate-Class Devil! Still… he's hiding something. The power we all sensed him generate was enough to alert the whole Underworld. What exactly was it? Rias said he went all golden… but what does that mean?_"

The half-Saiyan turned devil wasn't quite sure what to do next. It was as if he had spent another year or so in the time chamber! An increase of this magnitude… it would no doubt shock his father and Piccolo! The thought then occurred to him; what about Super Saiyan? Should he try it? Just how strong would it be now?

"Hey, Serafall!" Gohan called out. "Can I transform?"

"_Transform? This must be what Rias talked about!_" the Leviathan girl thought. With an anticipating grin on her face, she nodded in response. "Go for it! Just be careful!"

Without further adieu, Gohan summoned his will forward and started the sequence he had grown so accustomed to. It all started with the trigger, something he had learned to activate at will. With this new body, he'd have to be careful how far he pushed himself, despite feeling like he could push all the way to his ascended state.

He felt his power skyrocket as his body started to change. His flaming aura shifted back and forth between white and gold. The air around him became hot and thick as his power pulsated off his body. The blue glow that outlined his skin intensified as he began unconsciously tapping into more of his demonic energy.

His physical exertion became vocal as an extended growl exited his throat. Gohan's hands balled once more as he continued to push, feeling that rush of energy course through his body. The winds around him increased tenfold, Serafall struggling somewhat to keep herself grounded. She had raised her arms to shield her face from the brutal hurricane her new Queen was generating. It was mind-boggling!

In a few quick moments, a bright red magical circle erupted next to her, casting a red glow all around it. In a crimson flash, Sirzechs and Grayfia appeared, the latter looking somewhat concerned and tense. Sirzechs on the other hand, simply stared ahead at Gohan who hadn't even noticed they had arrived yet. Much like Serafall, Grayfia had been hit by the wind and was struggling to stand against it.

Sirzechs stood unaffected, a small smile on his face.

A final roar echoed from Gohan as his body finalized the transformation. An explosive golden wave of energy rushed through the area, forcing both Grayfia and Serafall to skid back a few meters while Sirzechs remained unaffected. The very air around Gohan sparkled with light blue demonic whisps, a surprising addition from his devil magic. Even the half-Saiyan was surprised about the new physical change.

"Now this Isn't something you see every day," Sirzechs spoke with a small smirk.

"My lord…" Grayfia spoke, her words almost breathless. "His power. It's…"

"Satan-class," Serafall finished for her in an exhausted tone. "My Queen has power beyond Satan-class," she chuckled, almost like an insane person. She hadn't been expecting an increase in raw power by _this _much. "I don't know what to make of this. What do I do!? The noble devil clans are going to have a fit when they find out a Low-Class is as strong as a Devil King!" Serafall whined as Gohan strolled over to the three older devils. He let his aura disperse but held his transformation.

"I see you are already testing the limits of your new body," Sirzechs commented with a smile. Gohan nodded, a friendly smirk gracing his expression. For some reason, such a friendly look did not suit his new transformed state. "Grayfia and I sensed your power through Serafall's suppression wards. A very impressive feat. How do you feel?"

"I've never felt stronger," Gohan replied, opening and closing his hands in front of him.

"The body of a devil is much stronger and more resilient than a human's. Despite how powerful your previous body was, you will find your new form to be much stronger. It's to accommodate all your previous strengths while also making room for demonic energy you are no doubt generating," Sirzechs explained. Gohan raised one of his hands and pulled on the separate energy source that now sat within his body. A small blue magical crest appeared on his palm, one he did not recognize, but everyone else seemed to.

"The crest of the Sitri clan!" Serafall exclaimed. "Since you are a part of my peerage, your demonic energy represents itself as such," Serafall explained proudly. The half-Saiyan glanced at the magical rune floating in his hand. A small frown crossed his features when he tried to do something with the magical reservoir inside of him.

It came as no surprise that he didn't actually have all that much demonic power. His ki reserves made his demonic magic feel like a small pond compared to an endless ocean. He idly wondered what he would be able to achieve if he trained up his demonic magic. Would it be as useful in battle as his ki? We're the methods of training those powers even the same? So many questions!

"Now, I'd hate to bring up politics, but unfortunately we have a problem," Sirzechs started as he looked at Gohan. Serafall forcefully exhaled in aggravation. There was nothing more she hated than Underworld politics. Why couldn't she just run around and be a magical girl? Sometimes she hated the Leviathan position! "As you are probably aware, Gohan, you are currently the only member of Serafall's peerage. A mutated queen piece no less. Now, this usually wouldn't be a problem if the devil in question was a bit more… well, how should I put this?"

"Well-known? High ranking? Knowledgeable? Understands at least the basics of devil culture?" Grayfia suggested blandly, clearly annoyed at her husband's apprehension. Sirzechs sheepishly scratched the back of his head, allowing a guilty grin to appear on his pristine features.

"Ah, yes… _any_ one of those. So, we have a bit of a conundrum on our hands. Devil King peerages are fairly well-known, and it's widely accepted that Serafall here, has had no peerage and didn't intend to have one for quite some time. It would be expected that her peerage would consist of high ranking devils, which you are… clearly not," Sirzechs explained. Gohan was starting to understand where this was heading.

"So… that means what exactly?" Gohan asked. Grayfia cleared her throat.

"Seeing as you are a recently reincarnated devil, you are automatically ranked as a Low-class Devil. However, you are a part of Serafall's peerage, a Satan-class Devil. You also happen to be her Queen. You may not understand the intricacies of our culture, but understand that quite a lot of the Underworld would _not_ be pleased with this development," Grayfia lectured in a stern tone of voice. "Those who witnessed your resurrection know better than to go running their mouths."

"Uh, why?" Gohan asked, not exactly understanding why it was so bad. Grayfia raised an eyebrow at the blatant ignorance, despite knowing it wasn't his fault.

"Serafall's position as Leviathan would come under scrutiny from the more… arrogant and traditional noble clans. They would see it as a weakness for a Satan to recruit Low-class Devils into their peerage. To put it bluntly, we'd have a political crisis on our hands."

"Seriously?" the Super Saiyan asked quizzically. Serafall nodded as he turned to her for confirmation. "Why would people get that upset over something so stupid?"

"Believe it or not, a good portion of the Underworld's noble clans are filled with blithering morons. Getting on their bad side would undoubtedly spark another civil war. Given our numbers, that would probably end in our extinction."

"That's uncalled for," Sirzechs interjected, turning to Grayfia. Husband and wife stared at each other until Sirzechs sighed. "But not untrue."

"So! In other words," Serafall started. "If they say even a single word divulging your identity as my servant…" she ran one finger across her neck then stuck out her tongue while rolling her eyes into the back of her head. Gohan cringed a little. They'd go that far to conceal his identity? The warrior child also wasn't sure if Serafall was joking or not. Killing just because of that was _not_ okay in his books.

He'd just discuss it with her later.

"Okay," Gohan said apprehensively.

"So in the meantime, while we work on helping you progress through the ranks so your appearance as Serafall's Queen doesn't cause an uproar, you will be tutored by my lovely wife here," Sirzechs chuckled, pointing to Grayfia. Gohan raised an eyebrow at this. Tutoring? Last time he was tutored, it didn't exactly end well.

"Tutoring? On what?"

"Everything," Grayfia replied instantly. The way she said it sent chills down the boy's spine.

"I'd do it myself," Serafall started, but sighed and shrugged. "But being a Devil King has its responsibilities. I'll still be able to train with you, but tutoring you will take _hours_ out of my day, which I can't exactly afford. Besides, now that you're a part of my peerage, I need to come up with tasks for you to do!" she finished happily. Gohan's face dropped in disbelief.

"Chores!?" he almost yelled indignantly. Serafall merely poked out her tongue in response. "Well, I suppose I shouldn't really complain. Landing in another dimension could have been a lot worse."

"Don't worry about it, Gohan," Sirzechs stated supportively. "Until the time comes when you go home, we'll make sure your stay here is as easy as possible."

=/=

* * *

=/=

A couple of weeks had passed and the half-Saiyan was clearly suffering from homesickness.

Serafall thought it would be nice to allow him to settle into his new role as her queen by allowing him time to think and at least accept his situation. He hadn't had much to say since actually _becoming_ a devil, but the Satan girl could tell there were elements to himself that he was hiding. The homesickness was one of them. However, as a member of her peerage, she had to give him some work to do otherwise he'd go crazy. He had been stuck around her mansion with nothing to do besides study and occasionally train since being resurrected.

Most days the boy would just wake up, go outside and train for a couple of hours. Other days he'd stay inside and just read until it was time for bed. He didn't seem to be too fussed, but Serafall could tell that he was just trying to push all the fear into the back of his mind. He was intelligent, strong, and wise for his age. It was almost scary how well he could articulate words and talk like an adult.

But he was just a kid.

A nine-year-old boy, who died fighting a battle he really had no stake in. He didn't even know Rias, yet he raced to her aid, as if it was second nature. He fought and bled just to see that she was saved and returned home safely. Not only that, but he gave his life to do so. Whether it was intentional or not, he had done it without a second thought.

That being said, Gohan was taking everything much easier than Rias. The Gremory heiress had been inconsolable since the kidnapping. Serafall had watched Rias, as kind-hearted as she was, demand that Baldur and Hel be executed and Fenrir put down like a rabid dog. She had been so upset and understandably so. She had watched as Gohan bled out and die right in front of her. She hadn't even known him for a day… and yet she treated him like one of her closest friends.

Rias only had Sona growing up, and only recently became close with Akeno due to the wonders of the Evil Piece system. Being an heiress, she didn't have the luxury of having friends growing up. It was the same story with Sona. Due to the closeness of their families, the two managed to bond over their isolation. Rias treasured her friends more than anything, to see someone she was just beginning to bond with cut down so brutally, just trying to help her…

Well…

She pitied Grayfia, Sirzechs, and the rest of the Gremory family for having to deal with the endless waterworks. Not to mention the stress Akeno would have been under. Poor girl hasn't even been Rias' Queen for a month and her King was already having an emotional breakdown.

So here she found herself, sitting at one of the desks in the living room with the fireplace going while sorting through some paperwork. Gohan was sitting happily upside down on one of the couches in front of the fire, his legs dangling over the back of the couch. He was reading a book, flipping through pages every minute or so. While reading, he was also pleasantly chewing on some pocky that Serafall had given him. He couldn't have looked more his age if he tried.

"Don't you think that maybe you should go hang out with Rias and Akeno, or Sona?" Serafall suggested suddenly, breaking the silence. Gohan turned his head but didn't say anything, due to his mouth being filled with pocky. "You've haven't left the property since I resurrected you."

"Oh," Gohan's happy mood dropped causing the Leviathan to bite her lip. She hadn't meant to upset him! "Am I intruding? I'm trying not to. Grayfia has sent me a bunch of material to read through so I can understand the Underworld better," he replied softly. "I can leave if you want, but I don't really know my way around here. Everything seems to be connected magically so I wouldn't be able to just fly to the Gremory territory."

"That is true," Serafall sighed. The Devil King started tapping the polished wood of the desk, trying to think of something to suggest to get Gohan out of his slump. Training and reading wasn't going to be enough to really take his mind off going home. A few moments later, an idea popped into her head. "Hey, how about I take you to a Rating Game?" she asked, her voice hinging on excitement. The half-Saiyan child seemed to raise his eyes at that suggestion.

"A Rating Game? Isn't that like a… fighting match?"

"You're a martial artist, right? Don't you like fighting?"

"Well…" Gohan repositioned himself and sat upright on the couch. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, unsure of really what to say in response to that. "I like training and sparring with my dad and his friends. But I don't like fighting and killing."

"Oh! So you prefer it more like a hobby, or a sport?"

"Yeah!" Gohan's face lit up at the comparison. While it was true he hated fighting for his life, he couldn't deny that he was half-Saiyan after all. Fighting was in his blood. The idea that it was more for sport or a hobby really seemed to sit perfectly with him. "Although, I haven't really had the opportunity to really see what fighting is like, outside of death matches. I've sort of been stuck in those since I could walk."

Serafall cringed slightly. He had said it so casually, as if it were normal for him. What kind of child was forced to fight in battles at such a young age? She recalled the Great War that had occurred so many years ago. It was an unwritten agreement between the three factions to leave children out of it. Angels and even fallen angels tried to leave children out of their business. Angels protected them, while fallen angels did their best not to involve them.

War was bloody. Messy.

It was no place for children, no matter what side you were on.

Unless you were part of a rogue church or some kind of cult. Then all bets were off the table.

"So, I'll take you to see a Rating Game," Serafall concluded with a sound smile. "You have yet to see one, so I think you might learn a thing or two."

It wasn't like Gohan was going to argue with her. The idea of the Rating Game fascinated him. He had read about all the rules and processes of the game. It all seemed like one big chess match, which was probably why Evil Pieces were based on chess pieces. Still, he had yet to really see it all in action. The prospect of getting to see one in person had him rather excited. He couldn't imagine how his father would react if he were here.

"Alright, sure!" Gohan jumped to his feet. He then paused, looking a little confused. "Wait, these things have audiences right? I thought I was trying to lay low and not draw any attention to myself. If I'm seen with you, won't people recognize that I'm your Queen?"

"I wouldn't worry about that," Serafall waved off. "Satan's like myself have private rooms we can use to watch the games."

"Oh, well if it's no big deal, I'd love to!"

"Great!"

Less than half an hour later, Gohan found himself sitting in a comfortable room overlooking a packed stadium, next to the female Leviathan.

There had to be hundreds of thousands of people here. He had never seen so many people in one place at once, even in the private booth he could hear the roar of the crowd. It was simply overwhelming, he could hardly even think of being in the spot of the contestants. Although, Gohan remembered what it was like to have the world's eye on him. Although at the time, the fate of the world was far more important than being camera shy or getting stage fright.

The Cell Games were still fresh in his mind, even after all these weeks of peace.

"This is the top league," Serafall explained. "Only the best perform here."

"Whoa…" Gohan breathed in amazement. He didn't care much for the specifics of who all were fighting, but they were clearly talented. Each side fought with vigor, honor, and incredible skill. He hadn't ever seen fighting like this before. Each member of each team brought their own unique skill set to the battlefield.

Swordsmen.

Magic masters.

Martial artists, like himself.

Sacred Gear users, the works!

Every single person had something unique about them. Not a single one fought in a similar manner. It was mind-blowing! Through all of his fights he'd never encountered anything like the kinds of abilities being put on display, and by no means were they weak. In fact, they were all incredibly powerful in their own right. Raw power was only one factor here. Skill and strategy were far more important than brute strength.

It reminded him of the many challenges and lessons Piccolo had drilled into him when he was much younger.

"Having fun?" Serafall chuckled, watching his varied expressions. Gohan didn't think he would be able to actually _enjoy_ combat after his death match with Cell and subsequent death at the jaws of Fenrir. However, here he was, almost on the edge of his seat observing a fight that was actually both in good spirit and entertaining! There was almost this clarity inside of the young half-Saiyan, an understanding. He had always known his father loved fighting, but the specifics of it were never quite clear to him.

Goku always claimed he loved the thrill of a challenge. He always strived to fight the next strongest opponent, to test his limits and push himself as far as he could possibly go. Gohan would be lying if he didn't also share that same passion, but Goku took it to a whole other level that the boy just couldn't understand. When he faced Freeza, it was without fear or anger. When they learned about the Androids, he looked towards the future with a bright smile and eagerly anticipated the challenge.

Despite the clear danger, Goku always kept his head held high, and never once allowed the fear of what could be, control him.

This feeling, right now… watching this Rating Game. Gohan felt like he could truly understand his father for once in his life. This is what he wanted. To fight freely and test his limits without fearing an end and the death of all his loved ones.

"I-" Gohan paused when he realized that a tear had dropped from his eye. He hadn't even realized it but he had started to cry. All this time, thinking about his father. The homesickness had never been so prevalent. "I am," the boy finished, resolute. Serafall gazed at him, feeling the sadness and desire to go home radiating off him in waves. She felt guilty, but… at the same time, happy. At least he wasn't suppressing his emotions anymore.

"Why are you crying?" Serafall asked, still puzzled. Something was clearly eating away at him. There had to be more to all of this than just his desire to return home. He had told her that there was nothing to worry about, as his family were preparing to come and get him. The Leviathan wasn't sure how long that was going to take, but it wasn't the reason why Gohan seemed so sad all the time.

"I… don't know," he admitted honestly, slumping back into his comfy leather chair. "I guess I realized I'm more like my father than I thought. Fighting and battle is in my blood, but I've always tried my hardest to take the peaceful approach."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember when I first got here? How I asked if Cell was gone?"

Serafall paused for a moment, processing the name again.

Cell.

That name sent a chill down her spine. The way he had said it. She assumed it was some villain he was fighting, but it seemed much more than that. Who exactly was this 'Cell' character he had referred to? She had never really thought to go into detail about it and question it more. There had been more important things to address concerning Gohan's arrival and what to do about his situation. However, now that things had calmed down and he had started settling in, she had more of a reason to ask about it.

"I remember. Who is he?"

Gohan turned away and looked down at his hands. His expression was pained, a mixture of remorse and regret plastered all over it.

"He was a monster, capable of destroying the entire planet. At one point, he seemed completely unstoppable," Gohan lamented. "He was this big, green, bug-like bio-android. He was just… so powerful, but my dad went to fight him."

"Did he beat him?" the female Satan asked, completely ignoring the Rating Game they were supposed to be watching.

"No," Gohan shook his head. "No. My dad's plan wasn't to beat him at all. It was to allow me to learn how he fought… so that _I_ could beat him."

"What?" Serafall breathed, dismay clear on her face.

"Dad recognized I had a power hidden deep within me, and that it would be the only way to beat Cell. So after I had seen how Cell fought, he gave up and allowed me to take the reigns. I wasn't aware of it at first, but I caught on quickly during my fight with the monster. I realized what my father had been trying to do," Gohan clenched his hands. "But I'm not like that. I didn't _want_ to kill Cell. I really didn't!" he cried.

Serafall remained quiet as the boy struggled to keep himself together.

"But Cell… he just kept pushing me. He wouldn't let up, no matter how much I asked him to stop. He just wouldn't! He thrived off the anger and the pain and the MISERY!" A white aura shimmered around the half-Saiyan, causing Serafall to place a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. The child seemed to realize that he was becoming too emotional and reigned it in. The more he recalled the horrific day, the more tears streamed down his cheeks. "I even begged. When he turned his attention to my friends and family, he made me watch as he…"

"Hey," she whispered gently, rubbing his back to try and soothe him. Serafall started to feel a maelstrom of anger build within her. She wasn't a stranger to torture and horrific acts. She had seen plenty during the Great War and the Devil Civil War. It had been many years since she had felt like this. If it had been Sona in Gohan's shoes, Serafall would have done everything she could to keep her safe. There was _nothing_ she wouldn't do to ensure her little sister's safety.

"He broke me."

Serafall almost felt her heart stop. She had to suppress her own tears. Every word he uttered was laced with emotion.

"All that power within me came rushing out and at first I couldn't control it. It was wild and… intoxicating."

"_What's he talking about? The golden transformation?_" the Devil King thought. "_That only really changes him physically… unless I'm, missing something. He didn't seem all that different when he showed me before._"

"Cell wasn't prepared for it. My dad and everyone else weren't prepared for it, and I certainly wasn't prepared to _handle_ it," Gohan stated as he started to calm down. It seemed he had a better control over his emotions now that he passed the traumatic part in his story. "I picked Cell apart. I tortured him the way he tortured me. That power allowed me to return every ounce of misery he had given out. I _savored _every last moment of it."

Serafall could hear the disgust in his tone.

"I hate that kind of fighting," he declared. "There's nothing I hate more than pointless bloodshed," Gohan let out a tired sigh. "But there was nothing I hated more that day than Cell."

"What happened?" she asked sympathetically. The boy was playing with his hands as he thought. It was still hard to think that he had fought such a powerful monster. Destroying a planet, in reality, wasn't all that difficult. Even a Middle-Class Devil could annihilate Earth with a well-placed shot to the core.

Assuming the hundreds of thousands of magical barriers around the core were down.

The core of each realm was protected by extremely powerful magic. This had been in place far before she was even born, dating back to the time when the old Satans were still in control. Nothing short of someone with Satan levels of strength could even hope to make a _dent_ in those barriers. They were put up by the Biblical God, the Four Original Satans, Greek, and Norse Pantheons, and even the Shinto and Hindu gods.

It was something everyone could agree on.

Despite how much war waged on, there were extremely powerful measures put in place to prevent planetary destruction.

Not even the infamous Trihexa could break those barriers.

"What does every coward do when they're losing a fight? He tried to run," Gohan replied sourly. "But I didn't let him. Nowhere to run to in that fight, so he resorted to a gamble. He tried to blow himself up."

"_What…!?_" the Devil King thought, completely bewildered. How could you be so desperate that you'd resort to self-destruction, just to win a fight!?

"I figured out what he was trying to do before it was too late. I flew him up to space to try to minimize the damage to Earth. I knew it wouldn't be enough so I tried to offset the explosion with my own attack."

"An attack of that magnitude…" Serafall murmured, recalling his earlier strength. "It would be powerful enough to shake the foundations of all the realms!"

"Well, it did something, because that's how I ended up here. The last thing I remembered was being swallowed by the explosion. Next thing I know, I'm waking up in your bed."

No wonder he had looked so battle damaged when she found him! Serafall assumed it was the brutal nothingness of the Dimensional Gap that had started to take its toll on the boy before spitting him out onto her front lawn. However, it seemed as if it was his final fight with Cell that had caused all the damage.

"I see," Serafall murmured, giving her queen another look over. A simple boy with so much power and responsibility. He had to know that fighting such a foe was going to lead to his death. Had he known that? Flying up to take a self-destructing monster away from his family and friends, knowing he probably wouldn't come back. Thinking about it, she wondered if she had that same courage. She'd do it in a heartbeat if it meant she was saving her sister, but for the rest of the Underworld?

She wasn't quite sure about that.

"Thank you, Gohan," Serafall stated compassionately. Without really even thinking, she leaned over her chair and pulled him into an affectionate hug. He didn't resist and sank into her embrace. The female Leviathan could tell he was hurting, that the experience had been traumatic enough for him to repress the more horrific details. Despite all that, she could feel that the boy had lifted some weight off his shoulders.

"What for?" he asked softly.

"For opening up to me. I could feel that it was eating away at you. You may not have even realized it, but these sorts of things are extremely traumatic," she explained. "How do you feel?"

"A little better," he admitted. "I still want to go home."

"I did promise that I would help you get home, but you know how difficult that is going to be. Do you think it would be better to just wait for your family?" Serafall suggested. Gohan had to think about that one for a few moments. If Baldur and Fenrir could take him down at his strongest, he shuddered to think just how powerful Ophis was, or if the Infinity Dragon was even friendly in the first place. Maybe he should take a page out of his father's book and stick around, train, and learn. Who knows what kind of things he could discover here? Goku seemed to have a good time on Yardrat, so what's to say Gohan couldn't have a good time here as well?

His family wasn't in any immediate danger, as far as he was aware. He could sit tight for however long it would take for them to come pick him up.

"I'm not sure. It doesn't really feel right just sitting around and waiting, but it seems that maybe it would be the best choice. Despite all I've read, I still understand very little about this world. I paid that price when I rushed to save Rias. Maybe I should take my time and gather my bearings before I start trying to chase down an Infinite Dragon God," Gohan chuckled lightly. Serafall laughed at the absurdity of it as well. At least, for Serafall, she felt more content knowing that the boy had a good head on his shoulders. Running to try and find Ophis might just lead to another death.

"That sounds like a way better idea!" she exclaimed. "Besides, now that you're feeling better, maybe it's time I got you working on some of your duties as Queen of Magical Girl Leviathan!" Serafall finished with a beaming smile. Gohan tilted his head in slight confusion. He knew she had a borderline obsession with the magical girl genre, but did she really refer to herself as one? He couldn't really see it, despite knowing she had multiple outfits in her mansion, let alone the ones she had made herself.

"Queen duties…? Relating to my place in your peerage?"

"Yep!"

"Uh, what would those be?"

Serafall winked at him, a mischievous smile appearing on her face.

"You'll see."

* * *

**A/N:**

**That wraps it up for the third chapter! Hope you all are liking it so far. Got some nice bonding with Serafall and Gohan this chapter and that will only continue to grow in later chapters as well. I'm unsure if anything **_**really**_** contradicts stuff from canon DxD here. Still unsure how many of you guys have read the light novels but I do light research on it. I do prefer to world build without all that much knowledge of stuff from the LNs. I don't know, just seems more fun that way?**

**So this chapter should really squash the whole "Is Gohan weak?" question if it wasn't already clear from the previous chapter. Yes, he can still use Super Saiyan. Some of you were concerned that he wouldn't be able to go SSJ? I'm not sure where that came from. If Youkai can still use their unique abilities after becoming devils, then the same should go for Gohan. Saiyan blood still courses through his veins. Becoming a devil only upgraded him, not to mention the Zenkai boost he would have gotten from dying and being resurrected. **

**Not much else to say. Going to be a few training scenes in the future as Gohan settles in and learns from those around him, along with some detailed slice of life stuff. I don't want to skip over his earlier years and go straight to Kuoh stuff, but at the same time, I don't want to be stuck writing prelude years for the next 300,000 words or so. While there will be time-skips, I will try my best to develop relationships in detail.**

**Cheers y'all. See ya next time. **


	4. Chapter Four

**A/N:**

**Hey, been awhile. Been busy with work and other commitments. Toying with the idea of starting a pa tr eon to do this instead of my shitty eight-hour laboring job (student life lmao). Unsure if there would be enough support though, haha. If that happened I would be updating weekly and actually making a schedule for my stories. But alas, it's still a fair bit of time away. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter. Spent a bit more time on this one, making sure I'm covering all the bases I feel I need to. Relationship development is important as well as character development.**

**Some of you will find that Gohan will start to become a little OOC compared to his canon self. This is intentional, obviously. Growing up in a completely different environment, surrounded by very different people is bound to have an effect on the way Gohan acts and interacts. He's clearly not going to be the social retard he was in canon Z Saiyaman/Buu Saga. Remember was basically living in the wilderness with his mother and his little brother for seven years before he went to school. This Gohan, however, is growing up around people his age, so his social awkwardness isn't really going to be a thing once he gets older. This also means he's not going to be as dense and clueless when it comes to romance. Like come on, he's around Serafall all day long and hangs out with Rias and Akeno. How is he not going to pick these sorts of things up over the years?**

**Hope you guys enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

_Chapter Four_

His heartbeat thundered in his ears, blood burning and pulsing with adrenaline.

Skidding into a turn, Gohan then dashed to escape the onslaught of attacks that were almost upon him. He knew he was fast enough to evade the deadly lances of ice, but the sheer fact that they were lethal meant that he couldn't falter in his concentration for even a second. He hadn't been expecting such a ruthless training session today.

With a ki enhanced hand, Gohan shattered half a dozen ice spears that had been hurled his way. He stared through the icy mist, her childish giggles were ever so present and recognizable. Serafall, at first, had been a very easy going training partner. However, as of late she had been ramping up her efforts to really test Gohan. He had to admit, initially, he had greatly underestimated her abilities. What was once a relatively easy partner to train against turned into someone who could push him beyond his base limits.

Unlike every other opponent he had fought, his king had no actual hand-to-hand combat skills. She was a magical powerhouse and fought from range. To complement the ranged abilities, she had trained her speed to a jaw-dropping degree. Serafall maneuvered out of the way of every energy blast he threw her way with grace and flexibility that would put a professional gymnast to shame. Although, despite this, Gohan had very quickly figured out her preferred strategy. Retreat and attack from a distance, then play defensive when her enemy got too close.

It was like fighting someone who had a thousand different energy techniques with each one having their own unique use. For every single technique he had, she had about a hundred different spells to counter them. It was beyond frustrating trying to find some way to exploit her weakness. Sure, he knew that if he got close, his speed and skill allowed him to win the fight easily.

Far easier said than done.

She had space warping spells to block him from getting close. If he slipped through her assaults, he'd just find himself forcibly teleported back a good fifty meters. Freezing traps littered their arena, both in the air and on the ground. If he collided with any one of them, he'd have to release a burst of his energy to get free, and given how often it happened, it was a significant drain on his reserves. Illusionary spells ensnared him before he had a chance to react and the gravity manipulation had him constantly adjusting himself. It was really unfair just how versatile she was.

Serafall's preferred magic was very obviously ice-based magic. Even a slight brush with her icy attacks forced him to change his approach. But, that didn't mean ice magic was the only thing she used. Lightning, fire, water, earth, and almost anything else you could think of were at her disposal! That wasn't even counting the far more complex arsenal of spells she had used during this spar.

"C-come o-on!" Gohan yelled, shivering at the temperature. It was well below freezing and Serafall was wearing her Magical Girl outfit. She didn't even look bothered by the amount of exposed skin. Meanwhile, Gohan was shaking to his very core. Even the Room of Spirit and Time couldn't hold a candle to her insane magic. "At least let me transform!"

"If you go Super Saiyan, you'll make me fight at full-power! That isn't the point of the exercise!"

"This is so unfair!" he whined, batting away another dozen of icy spears. Skipping and flashing through the morphed tundra battlefield, Gohan desperately tried to maneuver himself to try and find some kind of weakness in her defense. When her magic literally manipulated the environment to her favor, it was extremely hard to actually get a hit in, especially when she instigated these arbitrary rules. "How am I supposed to win if I can't transform!?"

"Figure it out!~" Serafall sang happily as if she found enjoyment in his distress.

His concentration slipped ever so slightly, just in time for an ice spear to slip past his guard and slice a small gouge in his shoulder. He growled as agonizing pain exploded in his shoulder, but managed to overcome it. Another slip up like that and one of those spears might be going through his leg next. One of the better things about training with Serafall was her ability to heal wounds. While not as quick as Dende, she could certainly nurse him back to full health in a matter of hours.

That meant Gohan could take far more punishment than usual. His new body was also far more resilient and durable than his previous one.

This fight would be another story completely if he was allowed to transform.

Serafall wasn't a fan of really going all out because apparently, she takes pride in the fact that very few people can make her actually try. Gohan wasn't exactly sure why it mattered in a spar, but like Vegeta, she claimed it was something to do with her pride.

Apparently, most high ranking devils had the same issue. The half-Saiyan thought it was dramatic, but apparently, that was part of their culture. He couldn't exactly talk though, seeing as Saiyans had a nasty habit of dragging out their fights, for varying reasons.

Besides, she claimed the whole point of the handicap was so that he could learn how to fight against someone with vast magical knowledge while at a disadvantage. Despite all that, he found himself in a rather troublesome situation. The two had decided they would train out the back of the mansion in an area large enough to suit an arena. Serafall had just turned the entire area into a frozen tundra with thick freezing mists. He could barely see her, but he could just make out her form. She made herself an icy throne and sat right in the middle of the battlefield.

Whenever he got close, a blizzard would form out of nowhere and stop him from getting any closer. Energy blasts were frozen before they even got anywhere close to her. Gohan never would have thought that such things could ever happen to his energy attacks. Clearly, still wasn't used to fighting a magical Satan before.

Serafall openly admitted she wasn't even the strongest in the Underworld. While she was openly known as the Strongest Female Devil in the Underworld, there were a few that outclassed her. Sirzechs being obviously one of them. Grayfia was apparently on the same level as her, while Ajuka, despite being more into the technological side of things, was actually closer to the new Lucifer.

If his father had ended up here, the Underworld would be in an uproar with him trying to fight everyone. That thought caused Gohan's mood to lighten in amusement.

"Come on, Gohan~" Serafall cooed firing off another couple dozen spears in his general direction. "You have to defeat me somehow."

"You say that, but I'm the one fighting with a handicap..." he muttered in response.

The freezing temperature clouded his thoughts, making it difficult to determine an appropriate strategy. At first, he had tried to blow away the atmospheric magic, but Serafall had quickly replaced it, rendering his efforts useless. Then he tried to just power through it, but the cold made his movements far too sluggish for him to even try and get close. Finally, he tried warming himself up with his energy but Serafall just made the blizzard even colder. It was frustrating fighting at the peak of his base power and being restricted to only that. It severely limited his options.

She claimed that he'd face opponents that could completely seal his transformations away and hinder his manipulation of ki as well. He wasn't quite sure what that entailed, but she had been quite serious that he needed to use his head first before charging in.

Apparently some Sacred Gears and Ancient Magic could pose some serious problems for him. He needed to learn how to fight in case his greatest tools were stolen from him.

Two spears slipped passed his guard again and grazed his legs, which caused him to buckle and cry out in pain. His energy dipped and the mist disappeared. Serafall stood up, having clearly won the spar. In frustration, Gohan slammed both fists into the ground, causing web-like cracks to form in the dirt.

"Damn it!" he hissed. The devil queen strolled over and kneeled down in front of the wounded fighter. Lifting both of her hands a soft blue glow enveloped the damaged areas and slowly started to heal them. A sense of relief crossed Gohan's face as the pain disappeared.

"Don't beat yourself up!" Serafall chirped happily. "You did well! Trust me. I'm not easy to beat."

"I would have won if I was allowed to transform," Gohan retorted rather sourly. Serafall shrugged.

"I would have had to try harder, but there's still no guarantee you'd win," she lectured sternly. Gohan lowered his head, feeling a little embarrassed. She acted like his older sister so much that he was starting to actually think of her as one. He never had siblings before, but if he had an older sister, Serafall would totally fit the bill. "Where you come from, raw power might be the determining factor in most of your fights. However, in our world, that can only get you so far."

"I get it," Gohan moaned. "It's just a habit. I'm so used to fighting the way I was taught. I guess I'm still getting used to fighting people like you."

"That's fine, really. It's no big deal," Serafall chuckled lightly. "You just need to learn how to compensate when your trump cards are taken away. I won't lie. I've had trouble actually fighting you when you go all blonde. You have plenty of power, enough to put almost the entire Underworld to shame, but if you're not careful, it could be used against you."

It was still frustrating, despite her words of encouragement. To know that with all his power, speed, and strength if he's placed in the wrong circumstances, it could all mean absolutely nothing.

"Looks like you two are done," a voice sounded to their left. The king and queen looked over to see Rias, Akeno, and Sona approaching. From the sounds of it, it seemed like Sona had been the one to speak up. "That fight was rather interesting."

"Sona!" Serafall practically launched herself at her younger sister, glomping before she could do anything. Gohan, Rias, and Akeno chuckled as Sona struggled to breath in her older sister's embrace. The Leviathan was rubbing her cheek against Sona's face so hard, it almost seemed like she was trying to merge herself with her sister. The hybrid Saiyan had to admit, he did find Serafall's undying infatuation with Sona to be extremely amusing. "So cute! Oh- I can't stand being away from you for so long! Com'ere! Give your sister a big fat kiss!"

"Sister… please…!" the victim tried to push away, but the fierce Leviathan was unrelenting. Somehow, Sona seemed to have slowly mastered the art of escapism, as she slipped out of Serafall's grasp and turned to run. "Leave me alone!"

"No! Wait! Sona! Come back~!" the magical girl cried. "I have an outfit I want you to try on! Huh- why are you running faster!? Wait up!"

They were both out of sight before anyone else had the chance to comment.

Gohan let out an exhausted sigh as he pushed himself to his feet. As childish as the Devil King Leviathan was, she could be serious and downright terrifying if the situation called for it, It was hard to believe that the Serafall that chased after her sister in such a bubbly, innocent way was the same person that was sparring with him just moments earlier.

"Hey," the son of Goku greeted. Akeno smiled, giving him a small wave in response. Rias, however, looked much more nervous. She had been like this ever since he became a devil. It had been about three months now and she still found it rather hard to talk to him without acting incredibly shy and awkward.

"Hi there," Akeno greeted warmly. "That was some performance. Sona and Rias were really impressed. I'd even go as far to say the two are jealous that Serafall got you."

"Akeno!" Rias blushed madly. "We said no such thing!"

"You implied it," the fallen angel hybrid giggled. "Teasing aside, it's a surprise to see that you're just as talented as Rias claimed you to be."

"I didn't claim anything!" her indignant shout was enough to force Akeno into silence through a fit of giggles. "What am I supposed to say? He fought both two Norse Gods and a God-Slaying monster at the same time and managed to survive long enough to- save… me," her voice trailed off at the end, giving away her obvious insecurities about the event. Gohan couldn't help but sympathize with her. Throughout his life, he had watched many precious friends die. He always ended up blaming himself, thinking that if he were stronger, the needless deaths could have been prevented.

It was nightmare inducing, watching the life fade from someone's eyes. His own experience with death was just the feeling of cold, then nothing. An unforgettable experience for sure. He was lucky to have stuck such an impression that Serafall had opted to revive him, instead of letting him pass on.

Rias nervously gripped the side of her arm and looked away to avoid any eye contact. Akeno shook her head, allowing a silent sigh to slip from her lips. It was painfully obvious that the Gremory heiress was still disturbed by the whole event. Her queen seemed to be doing anything she could to keep Rias' mind off it unfortunately, it wasn't working. Gohan wasn't sure what he could do to make her feel better.

"Rias, you don't need to keep blaming yourself," she peered at him from the side of her eyes and briefly made eye contact. She had spoken with the half-Saiyan very rarely since her attempted kidnapping. She always made the effort to keep it as brief as possible. "I'm fine, and that's not going to change any time soon."

"You lost your humanity because of me. You were resurrected into one of us because of our dumb past and stupid wars over how the Underworld should be run. How can I not blame myself!?" Rias countered vigorously. She looked absolutely determined to shoulder the guilt of his death. The stark differences between the day he met her and now were staggering. She had been filled with confidence and it laced every word she uttered. Now, she spoke with desperate uncertainty.

"I may be a devil now, but I certainly don't feel any different. I'm the same person I was when I died. That hasn't changed," Gohan retorted, a slight frown on his face. Despite all the differences he had read in various books, he never felt as if he was changed at all by becoming Serafall's queen. Apparently, he now had weaknesses to holy magic, holy artifacts, and certain areas dedicated to God on Earth, but so far, really nothing felt different.

Aside from the substantial increase in strength, he still felt as if he were the same person he had grown up as. The devil wings were a neat addition, but he could fly without them, so he never really brought them out.

"But-!"

"Seriously," Gohan continued, cutting her off. "I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I allowed you to be taken. That's just the kind of person I am. I'd rather die and save you than allow them to escape with you."

His words were simple-minded to him, as if logical. He put those in need before himself. Call it heroic, but to Gohan, it was just something he felt was right. Having fought alongside his father and their friends back home, he couldn't just stand by and watch while Rias was in danger. Though he hadn't intended to sacrifice his life, he had died for Rias, just like Piccolo had for him so long ago. He couldn't help but smile fondly in remembrance of his first true friend and mentor.

However, it seemed as if his words had a much larger impact on Rias. Her eyes started to water and before long, the tears were streaming down her cheeks. She rushed in and hugged him, crying into his shirt, wailing about how sorry she was and that she'd make it up to him.

All while Akeno stood back, a content smile on her face.

"Oh my… you certainly know the way to a girl's heart, Gohan," the darker haired girl teased. The ten-year-old fighter shrugged, the true meaning of her words flying right over his head.

"It's no big deal, really," the boy tried to reason. Akeno had since walked over and gently pulled Rias off of him. The crimson princess seemed to realize she was making a scene. She dried her tears quickly.

"It may not seem like such a big deal, Gohan, but to me, it means more than you know," Rias started. She took a deep breath and calmed herself. "See, it turns out that Baldur, Hel, and Fenrir are a part of something called the Khaos Brigade. My brother and the other Devil Kings have been looking into this group for some time. Rumors were all they really were, but it was discovered that many of the Old Satan faction are actually a part of this group," the Gremory Heiress explained. Gohan had been told very little about this group, but he knew enough to know that they were all bad news.

"Lingering tensions from the Great War," Akeno supplied, looking rather exhausted. Just the topic seemed to bring in negative emotions. Clearly, Akeno had done some of her own research on the topic. "They'll go to any lengths to bring old traditions back, even if that means kidnapping and executing people like Rias."

"My brother's the current Lucifer, the ruler of the Underworld," Rias reiterated seriously. "If they had captured me, death would have been a mercy. There's no telling what they would have used me for. My most likely guess is that they would have used me as leverage against my brother, forcing him to give up his position as Lucifer. I can't imagine the turmoil we'd be thrown into then."

"I guess you could say that Gohan prevented another civil war," Akeno added as an afterthought.

Serafall had given him the details, but she hadn't gone quite to the lengths to say that. He had read quite the number of historical books on the Devil Civil War. It took place shortly after the conclusion of the Great War and resulted in millions of more pure-blooded Devils losing their lives. Gohan wasn't stupid though, history was written by the victor, and it was very clear who won. However, this Old Satan faction wasn't exactly helping their image by attempting to kidnap Rias.

"Well, I wasn't really thinking about the consequences. Obviously, at the time I didn't know anything about this place. I just saw that one of my friends was getting taken away against her will, so I just… reacted," the hybrid warrior shrugged. His mindset at the time wasn't complicated at all. It was made very easy to discern who the antagonist of that situation was the very moment intentions were made clear.

"Quite the Romeo isn't he?" Akeno chuckled while Rias continued to blush madly.

"Quiet you," Rias snapped childishly, despite knowing it would only provide Akeno with further ammunition for embarrassment. "I know you're not the kind of person to expect a reward, but it doesn't feel right not to at least offer something for your sacrifice."

"Rias you don't have to-"

"No," the crimson princess cut him off. "I get it. I know this may sound selfish but honestly, this is more to satisfy my own needs. I can't stand it that someone died saving my life and then they just expect me to move on and not worry about it. I can't! So stop asking!" she almost yelled. Gohan and Akeno were rather taken aback by Rias' sudden change in tone. Despite her flustered look, she was deadly serious.

"Rias-" Akeno started but was rudely cut off by her King.

"No! I will make it up to him and that's final."

She was awfully stubborn. Gohan had never seen anyone so insistent on repaying someone. Maybe it was another aspect of devil culture he just didn't understand yet? He did read that devil's often fulfilled desires and wishes when requested, just like angels fulfilled prayers.

"Well, what exactly did you have in mind?" Gohan asked, curious as to what Rias was planning. The question seemed to have caught her off guard, as her flustered look intensified as she began furiously thinking up a solution to her self-made problem. The boy had nothing he really wanted. However, if she was going to be so persistent on the topic, he might as well go along with it. Arguing never really got him anywhere with his mother or Serafall, so he expected it to be the same with Rias. Maybe she could cook for him? That'd be enough.

Maybe a sparring partner? Na… she isn't that strong. Rias may be a High-Class Devil by name and birth, but she didn't have nearly enough power to give him challenge. Although, from what he had learned from Rias, she had inherited the power of 'Destruction'. Whatever that really meant, it was enough to tickle his curiosity.

"I know," Rias finally thought, a bright smile on her face. "How about this; when you become a High-Ranking Devil, I'll become your Queen. It's the least I can do for you saving my life."

She said it in such a casual way that it took Akeno and Gohan by surprise. Apparently, they weren't the only ones that had heard it.

"Out of the question!" A voice that clearly belonged to the younger Sitri sister, sounded. Sona had since managed to calm Serafall down and the two had been walking back to the trio when they heard Rias' suggestion. At first, Sona couldn't believe her ears, but the reality of the crimson princess' words crashed down around her almost immediately. "I won't allow it!"

"Allow it?" Rias looked insulted. "Sona, you may be my best friend, but you have no say in what I want to do with my life and my future!" the Gremory Heiress responded rather harshly. Apparently, Sona wasn't quite used to hearing that kind of tone from Rias and visibly recoiled. The backlash Rias seemed to be getting for her suggestion wasn't going too well for her. She was very clearly preparing herself to get defensive.

"You can't just offer yourself up to a peerage!" Sona practically roared. "I don't care if it is Gohan we're talking about here! It is unbecoming of an heiress to a prestigious family to be a piece in some other devil's peerage! Especially the Gremory family!"

If the sudden crimson glow around Rias' form didn't indicate that she was getting angry, it was made abundantly clear by her thunderous expression that she was about to lose it.

"Uh…" Serafall hummed innocently. One look at the Leviathan told everyone in the area that she wasn't quite sure what to do in a situation like this.

"You just want to be his Queen, don't you!?" Rias childishly accused the Sitri heir. Now it was Sona's turn to turn red with anger. A sapphire glow enveloped her, mirroring Rias' own destructive aura.

"Oh my," Akeno purred. "Not even a devil for a few months and he already has women fighting over him."

The boy in question couldn't make heads or tails of this debacle and simply stood there in silent confusion. The thought of having a peerage hadn't even occurred to him. It was challenging enough just trying to learn how everything worked while helping out Serafall. The last thing he wanted was even more responsibilities.

"Me!?" Sona angrily adjusted her glasses. "I have no intention of being a part of anyone's peerage! I'd rather dress up as a magical girl than submit myself to another person!"

Serafall winced as if she had been punched in the gut, then became visibly upset as she was ignored by all except Gohan who mentally chuckled at his king's dismay. He just couldn't understand her idolization of her younger sister. It bordered on obsession sometimes.

"So why do you even care!?" Rias growled. "Why should it matter if I become Gohan's queen? He's well on his way to being a High-ranking Devil. He'll probably make it to Ultimate-class before any of us even have the chance to make the first steps!"

"Rias," Gohan cut in, scratching the back of his head in uncertainty. "I don't think I'd even want one to begin with. I want to go home eventually and it wouldn't be fair to anyone I was bound to."

"Huh?" she responded hotly. "Why? I can visit whenever I want, can't I? You told me you lived on Earth."

Gohan looked to Serafall for support. The magical girl themed Satan chewed her lip at the remark. Gohan's origins had remained a secret between the four Satans and no one else, aside from Grayfia. The amount of commotion it would cause would be staggering and almost uncontrollable. The boy would be an overnight celebrity and it was clear that the half-Saiyan wanted none of that. Besides, the fewer people causing a ruckus, the easier it would be to focus on getting him home.

"Rias, you're the heiress to the Gremory household," Serafall spoke up, sympathy in her tone. "I understand you feel an obligation to Gohan for saving your life, but him having a peerage?" the female Leviathan sighed as she looked over to him, sadness reflected in her blue eyes. "It's troubling enough that I had to make him my Queen. I don't think it would be very helpful for him to have one."

"You mean… you don't like having him as your Queen?" Rias asked, slightly shocked. Serafall quickly raised her hands in defense.

"Oh no! In fact, he's wonderful! I don't think I'd rather have anyone else. It's just that…" She trailed off, sighing heavily. "It's complicated. Can we leave it at that, please?" the magical girl asked nicely. Rias cocked an eyebrow at the Leviathan, her crimson aura slowly disappearing. Sona's own aura disappeared with a huff from the girl.

"I see," the crimson princess stated, uncertainty in her voice. "I am sorry for jumping to such a conclusion."

"It's no big deal," Serafall waved, slightly relieved the situation had mostly resolved itself.

"Perhaps it's time we left," Akeno suggested. She went to pull Rias along, but the girl resisted. Rias looked at Gohan, her eyes pleading. She really looked desperate to do something to repay him.

Did it really mean that much to her?

"I guess… I'll think about it," Gohan offered, not really sure what to say. The moment the words left his mouth, Rias' features brightened, while Sona sighed angrily, but said nothing. Serafall wanted to groan but also kept silent. She'd be needing to have an in-depth discussion with him about what having a peerage really entailed.

"Thank you, that's all I ask," Rias smiled, turning to leave with Akeno. The fallen angel hybrid rolled her eyes at her king's dramatics, giving a quick wave. "Sorry I antagonized you, Sona. That was unbecoming of me."

"Apology accepted," Sona huffed, clearly still miffed, but glad that Rias acknowledged her mistake. "I'll see you tomorrow."

A crimson circle surrounded both Rias and Akeno and they were gone. Sona readjusted her glasses as she turned to Gohan, a more annoyed look crossing her features.

"Understand that you will not be taking Rias as a queen. Do you hear me!?"

"Uh… sure," Gohan held his hands up in a surrendering fashion.

"Good," she turned on her heel and marched off back to the Leviathan mansion. Serafall strolled up behind Gohan and wrapped an arm around his neck in a sisterly manner.

"Am I missing something?" Gohan wondered aloud, clearly puzzled as to why everything had turned so hostile, so quickly. Serafall allowed herself to giggle, knowing the signs as clear as day.

"Oh, Gohan," she replied, continuing to giggle. "One day… you'll understand."

He wasn't sure if he really wanted to.

=/=

* * *

=/=

There were very few moments in his life where he felt true anger.

It was always when those he loved were harmed. Raditz, Vegeta, The Ginyu Force, Freeza, and Cell… all of them caused him to fall to despair and become consumed by his rage. In every single one of those moments, he had an outlet for his anger. However, at this moment, he had no choice but to contain it. Though it seemed that he wasn't all too good at it given how Rias, Sona, and Akeno were glancing nervously at him out of the corner of their eyes.

He had been in the Underworld six months now.

The young warrior had begun to feel as though he belonged. He had a home and, for the first time in his life, he had people his own age who cared about him. In his time as Serafall's queen, he had formed a friendly relationship with Rias, Akeno, Sona, and Tsubaki. They all enjoyed regular outings together with their most frequent activity being the attendance of a rating game. After his introduction to the games, courtesy of Serafall, his curiosity was piqued and, being the person that he was, he wanted to watch more. It turned out to be one of his favorite aspects of the world he found himself in, every game provided something different to observe, new tactics, new powers, and new combinations. Gohan had made it a habit to study the ways in which some of these devils fought. What they could do with their magic and how it was limited to only their imagination.

That in itself was utterly astonishing.

However, this game, in particular, left a sour taste in his mouth. The king of the losing peerage began to berate and beat his servants. This Rating Game was a series of one on ones where each side had to try and reason out who their opponents would send out.

It was a one-sided match and the losing king was making sure to punish each of his members that lost.

"Despicable," Rias spat under her breath. The King was screaming at his peerage members each time they came back defeated. It was difficult to watch and made enjoying the sport nearly impossible when you knew that the contestants were being brutally punished for their loss. Up until this point every game Gohan had seen, the losers at least had the decency to be good sports. There were a few instances of anger, but it was never taken out on their peerage members.

At least, not in public.

Gohan had been gripping the sides of his chair so hard that they broke into splinters. He could see the abused members of that disgusting king's peerage sitting there silently on the floating podium. Some of them were crying. Others were silent, accepting their fate with stoic, emotionless masks.

"We… can't we do anything?" Gohan whispered angrily, desperate to stop the injustice happening before him. Deep down he knew that it wasn't allowed. Audience interference was prohibited for absolutely any reason.

"No," Sona replied to his left. Rias sat to his right with Akeno next to her. "You and I are representatives of the Sitri Clan. You also represent the Leviathan name. If you interfere, you will cause problems for my sister."

"But they're-"

"We can't," Rias stated with a hint of finality to her voice. "You should know this by now, Gohan. Just because we have the power to stop it, doesn't mean we are allowed to. There are rules in place for a reason."

"What reason could that even be!?" Gohan demanded, pointing at the downtrodden peerage. "Look at them! They're miserable! He's… he's treating them like garbage!"

"When you break down the specifics and formalities, you find that peerage members are slaves," Sona stated factually. Gohan turned to her, a look of complete disbelief on his face. Akeno just sighed but kept quiet. Rias, on the other hand, turned to her childhood friend, an intense glare spread across her face. Sona mirrored her friend's glare, knowing what Rias was silently conveying. The Gremory heiress still seemed to want to be Gohan's Queen, which Sona was still adamantly against for obvious reasons. "The Evil Piece system was created to help replace the devils slaughtered in the war, slavery was never a thought when designing the system. I would think that with a system as powerful and complicated as the Evil Pieces, that a significant amount of thought was put into it when he created it, but..." she trailed off nervously.

"There will always be loopholes," Rias added dejectedly. Sona could only nod as Gohan listened on.

"Devils like us," Sona gestured to both herself and Rias. "We don't like to view our peerage members as slaves. The same goes for my sister and Lord Sirzechs. Those who become bonded to us are more like family, close friends and people we trust. There's a good portion of the Underworld that also think that way. Just look around," she continued gesturing to the rest of the crowd. Gohan did so, seeing a number of distraught and angry faces. A vast amount were spitting profanities at the horrible king abusing his peerage.

"There's also the portion that doesn't care," Akeno spoke up, pointing to the other side of the stadium. Sure enough, a good portion of the crowd was indifferent and continued to watch the game without a care in the world. "Though they tend to be older devils, holding onto dying traditions. Those who believe Purebloods are superior."

"Exactly," Sona agreed. She summoned a pawn to her hand and showed Gohan.

"What's this for?" he murmured, taking the piece offered to him. There was nothing special about it at all.

"The system isn't perfect. It allows for as much freedom as possible. However, at the end of the day, you are still bound to your master and their will. If they choose to and have enough power, they can make you submit. An unintended flaw that Ajuka has been trying to fix," Sona explained, taking the piece back from Gohan and dismissing it. "Allegedly, it is impossible to forcibly change someone into a devil using the Evil Pieces if the victim has no intention of becoming one. By the very design, it's impossible."

"What?" Gohan gasped, looking back at the abused peerage, just in time to see the king hit another one of the members. His side of the stadium erupted into boos and disgust. "If that's the case, then how is it possible that any of those people would willingly become a part of that guy's peerage!?"

"Like Rias said, loopholes," Akeno replied.

"What loophole!?" Gohan demanded.

"The same loophole that my sister used to revive you," Sona said, stunning Gohan into silence. Rias then sighed.

"Sona's right. Initially, when the Evil Piece system was designed, it was created to convert those already alive into devils. It was discovered much later on, that they could also convert a deceased person, regardless of their nature, into a devil using an Evil Piece as long as the owner of the pieces performed the correct rituals. It's been a topic of heavy debate for hundreds of years, because the way in which it works, is by converting a deceased person into a devil, which adds them to your peerage… the free will part is ignored entirely."

"What!?" Gohan exclaimed. "Why!?"

"The dead don't have any will," Sona explained coldly. "A corpse doesn't have any conscious thought or any willpower to resist. It happened to you, remember? Do you recall ever having a choice presented to you?"

A cold sensation wrapped around his entire body as he thought back. He only remembered darkness after he died. Then he woke up. While he never blamed Serafall for what she did and was actually grateful to actually be breathing again, the knowledge that it was possible to abuse that was chilling.

Serafall had revived him not for her own gain, but to give him another chance to live and return home.

Others… probably weren't so lucky.

"Are you telling me he could have… killed all of them then just revived them as Devils!?" Gohan almost yelled angrily. Rias put a hand on his shoulder to attempt to calm him down, but it seemingly did not work. The ten-year-old felt so passionate about it. The injustice was unfathomable and beyond disturbing. His chest started to pound, an uncomfortable pain thumping over and over without pause. Every word his friends spoke made him angrier. How could he have been so blind to not see it sooner?

In response to his claim, Sona just readjusted her glasses calmly. She did her best to contain the fear that had started building within her. She had seen Gohan's power first hand when he trained with her older sister. Sona definitely did not want to be on the receiving end of that.

Even though his friends had come to know Gohan as someone who wouldn't hurt a fly, his inconceivable amount of energy intimidated them when he happened to bring it out on the extremely rare occasion.

"In theory, he could have, yes," was the answer Gohan did not want to hear. Almost immediately, a thin outline of energy coated his skin as he stood up. Sona and Rias quickly reached up to pull him back down, despite how strong he was. "However!" Sona said suddenly, to try and get through to him before it was too late. "There is no evidence of that. He could have persuaded them to join him, or they could have been traded."

"Traded!?" Gohan hissed angrily. "They're… they're NOT property! They're people!"

"Gohan just-"

He had heard enough. The half-Saiyan ripped himself out of Rias and Sona's hold on him and headed for the exit. If he wasn't allowed to do anything then he'd be damned if he sat there and watched the rest of the game. He sensed his three friends stand up to follow, but Gohan didn't turn around to even acknowledge that. He was far too angry. What was the point in having all this power if he wasn't even able to use it to help people?

Once he had left the stadium, he summoned a portion of his demonic energy to teleport back home. Grayfia and Serafall had been happy enough to teach him the basics of magic. Granted it was difficult at first, but he eventually got the hang of it after the first few months.

"Hey wait! Goh-"

The magical circle beneath his feet activated, teleporting him back home to the Leviathan mansion. A small part of him felt bad for ditching the three girls, but his emotions were running high and he wasn't sure if he could control himself. Historically, he knew he had an explosive temper. He always had an outlet when that happened, and he would never allow his power to be turned against the people he actually cared about, even accidentally.

He appeared on the doorsteps of Serafall's mansion and immediately took to the sky. There were vast amounts of unoccupied land around the house that he could use to blow off some steam. It didn't take him long to find a suitable place. A small mountain range. He and Serafall had trained here once before. It hadn't been that long ago, but the small scars around the area detailed exactly what kind of battle it was.

Landing, the world around him became a violent blur. Mountains shook and the ground around him turned to dust. With every attack, visions of past opponents took their place. He could hear their goading and the screams of his friends and family. It only made him more furious. All this anger with no direction. The half-Saiyan couldn't keep it bottled up. Had he ever been faced with something like this before? An injustice he couldn't confront? Every other problem he's ever had he's been able to punch, this was new territory for him and he was lost. Lost and confused. He didn't know what to, so he lashed out.

In his haze, he had lost track of time. The sun had dipped beyond the horizon… or whatever that artificial light source happened to be. A hesitant gaze down at his body showed that his clothes had been torn by reckless abandon. The display shocked him somewhat.

He never considered himself a violent person.

"I'm… I'm not-" he cut himself off as the blood dripped from his hands. It was unacceptable. He should always be in control, even the very notion that he had lost control made him angry. Angry at himself more than anything. He was better than this. Gohan knew that he was. What would his father say right now? What would Piccolo say? They'd chastise him, without a doubt. To lose control was to lose the fight.

But… the only time he had ever stood a chance was when he allowed rage to consume him. Every foe the boy had fought up till this moment, he had only managed to damage or beat through his own anger. Never was it through skill, determination, or courage. His explosive temper always came with a rush of power, a power that he hadn't been able to control up until his fight with Cell. Even then, it wasn't a matter of control that became the issue.

His ascended form made him delight in causing pain.

"I'm not a violent person!" Gohan reasoned, desperate to retain his identity. Flashes of his fight with Cell blitzed his mind. He had tortured Cell and enjoyed every single moment of it. He could remember every detail, even the moment where the monster hung in the air, pieces of him missing due to the boy's Kamehameha wave. Gohan remembered he had smiled at seeing that. He had taken pleasure watching Cell's face contort in agony from every hit he took.

Gohan was far too caught up in his own head to realize that Serafall had managed to find him.

Landing and retracting her devil wings, the female Satan had only just arrived home to find Sona sitting on her doorstep. She had been ecstatic to see her little sister, but the downtrodden look on her features told the older Sitri that something was wrong. Sona had recounted the events that had occurred, much to the dismay of Serafall.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, the Leviathan knew she would eventually be forced to have this discussion with her queen. He held such a pure heart. Knowing that such injustice was occurring throughout the Underworld would undoubtedly make him furious.

She tracked him down easily enough. It was hard to miss his monstrous power getting thrown around a few miles from her mansion. Both Sona and herself could even feel some of the impacts from there.

"Gohan?" her tone was filled with concern. She had never seen him this angry before. His hair was flickering blonde, his state of mind almost pushing him to transform. He stood completely still, only turning his head to register her words. His black eyes burned with rage. There was also clear wetness on his cheeks. He'd been crying, but she honestly wondered if he even realized that. "Talk to me. Please."

His lip quivered as he turned away from her. What was he supposed to say? Half the Underworld acted like normal people, while the other half acted as if they owned everyone and that the abuse of the lesser people was perfectly acceptable. Where was the sense in that? He couldn't wrap his head around it. Did people like that really exist? Was it just this universe that seemed so screwed up, or did this happen back home as well? Both thoughts made him sick.

"What is happening, Serafall?" he asked simply. She didn't quite understand the question, but she had a feeling, based on what Sona had said that she knew what he was referring to. "Why is it that people are just allowed to treat others that way and get away with it?"

He couldn't get it.

Nothing about it seemed right.

"You are talking about the way that devils are allowed to treat their peerage like slaves? Like trash?" she asked. Serafall only received a silent nod from him. She took a deep breath and steeled her nerves. She was used to dealing with people a lot, being the Satan behind Foreign Affairs, however… this matter was personal. She was his king, and he, her queen. They were bound, and she had come to see him as family.

She knew she couldn't play around here. Her innocent, magical girl demeanor wouldn't get her anywhere in this kind of conversation.

"Sona told me that peerage members are basically slaves," Gohan turned to Serafall, an angry look on his face. "Am I your slave?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Serafall admonished instantly, almost insulted by the assumption. "Have I ever treated you like one? I promised to help you get home. I've tried my best to treat you with kindness." she stated. She cared immensely for him, but she was not going to stand here and let him think for even a moment that she viewed him as a slave. He was like a little brother to her!

Gohan realized he had asked that question a bit too harshly, thus Serafall's response had been warranted. His eyes drifted to the ground, ashamed that he had even thought for a moment that she would even view him that way. Things would have been vastly different if that had been the case.

"I don't get it…" Gohan continued. "Why are they allowed to do that? Those devils are people too! It isn't right!"

"You're right. It isn't fair for them to be treated like that," Serafall agreed completely. "We even made laws against it happening in public. I have no doubt that devil from the rating game will be punished. However, there are no rules to stop things like that from happening in private."

Gohan's fists clenched so tightly his knuckles went white. That was even worse!

"Why!?"

"Because we can't enforce that," she countered gently. The idea was absurd. What prestigious families did on their own property and within the walls of their own home is their business. It had been that way for millennia, even before Sirzechs and herself came to have the new titles and political power. There were a lot of things that still remained unchanged from the time the Old Satans were ruling. While Sirzechs was steadily paving the way for a new way of life in the Underworld, it was still a very long way off.

"What do you mean!? I thought you guys were the rulers here! Can't you stop stuff like that from happening!?"

"If we did, we'd risk another civil war. Our numbers are worse than ever. If we started another conflict, we'd drive ourselves into extinction."

Gohan was rendered speechless. It was that divided? If that was the case then how did Sirzechs even win over those Devils in the war?

"Then how did-"

"We were the lesser of two evils to some of the devil houses that still hold onto those old traditions. The Old Satan faction is ruthless and willing to do whatever they could to get their way. Devils who even remotely has different views are executed, brutally and swiftly," Serafall explained, having practically read Gohan's mind. "Like I've said before. It's complicated. Underworld politics probably doesn't make much sense to someone like you who doesn't understand our culture. We've been around for hundreds of years, some thousands… and a lot of families from the seventy-two pillars that supported us have been around even longer. While they may have sided with us, that does not specifically mean they agree with all of our views."

That was a bitter pill to swallow.

"Then how do we-"

"Fix it?" Serafall finished for him. She sighed exhaustingly, the very question being the bane of all Satan's existence for as long as they've held their specific titles. "Our best solution is to influence change over time. Change minds and slowly convert them to our way of thinking by showing that we are the better side. This isn't a problem that is solved through power or dominance. It certainly isn't a fight you can win with your fists."

"I can't just stand there and watch!" Gohan retorted desperately, thinking back to the Rating Game. It was maddening. He, with all his strength, couldn't protect them… not because he couldn't, but because he simply wasn't allowed. He wasn't sure what was more rage-inducing. Being powerless to stop something or standing by watching it happen, knowing you had the power to stop it but forbidden to do so.

"Not every threat is solved with violence, Gohan. That's how the Old Satan faction deals with things. We're different."

He knew that. He wanted to believe that. Gohan so desperately wanted to believe her words, but past experience had told him otherwise.

"I just wanted to… help them."

"We all do, Gohan. We all do."

=/=

* * *

=/=

Silence hung in the non-existent atmosphere, a black void littered with distinct sparkles. To a normal person, it could be mistaken for outer space. An endless void of nothing, incapable of sustaining any kind of life, lit only by the twinkles of distant burning suns. Despite that, this place was created to serve a singular purpose. Conceived by the genius minds of the Underworld, this dark void served as a dimensional prison.

A prison for gods and immortals.

However, its current occupant relished the quiet.

A flash of crimson appeared upon a floating rock, revealing a smartly dressed man with long crimson hair. Undoubtedly a sight many would recognize immediately as being the new King of the Underworld, Sirzechs Lucifer. He stood tall, his gaze unmoving and emotionless, careful not to give away any weakness.

"It's not often I get visitors," a sickly sweet voice spoke. In front of him, sat a woman on a throne of rocks and carved skulls. She wore the same sparkling obsidian dress, skin as pale as ever, only made more prevalent by the pitch black backdrop of her prison. Hel's mouth curved into a smile as she seductively uncrossed her legs and re-crossed them on the other side. "What brings the Lord of Devils to my little prison?"

"Your silence has been unnerving," Sirzechs started casually. He looked around, a scowl forming on his face. Not even he, with his many long years, could imagine living in a place like this for an extended period of time. People often mistake the greatest punishments as eternal pain and endless suffering when in fact… nothing could be worse than an eternity of silence and isolation. Hel however, wasn't showing any of the predicted signs. "Baldur was much quicker to talk. You haven't made a sound since Ajuka placed you here two years ago."

"You devils underestimate the patience of the gods. My uncle is much more innocent in his affairs. He had no reason to keep his intentions from you, as they were inherently personal."

"A solution to his curse."

"Frigg is a cold-hearted bitch," Hel mused lightly, her fingers curling around the rocky armrests. "I pity my uncle. A life of true immortality where nothing can harm him. Death is part of the natural cycle, and Frigg purposefully pulled him out of that cycle."

"Sounds like something every mother would want for their child."

"To never hurt?" Hel asked in mock amusement. "Yes, every mother would loathe seeing their child in pain. But to never see them die?" her words trailed off, echoing in the Devil King's head. "To never die is a curse. True immortality is suffering. Death is the end of all things, everyone knows this fact. Even we gods know this. There is an end to all of us one day. We may live for thousands of years, but our death is certain, just like everything that lives and breathes."

"So the leader of the Khaos Brigade promised him a solution?" Sirzechs asked, seeking to confirm the knowledge Baldur had already fed to him. Hel nodded in response.

"She did."

"Who is their leader? What is their goal?" he questioned. Hel pursed her lips and leaned back in her chair, the amusement on her face growing. When she didn't answer, his impatience started to fester. He didn't like interrogating people, regardless of their status. It was something he loathed, and more often than not left it to Asmodeus. Although, it seems all efforts to get Hel to talk had resulted in failure. Truth be told, he didn't like dealing with the gods of any pantheon. All of them overshadowed him and his peers in age. The gods looked down on them because of this.

Getting on good terms with Odin had been difficult in itself. He didn't want to imagine how long it would take to get on Zeus' good side. Hades already hated his entire race and often labeled them a blight on the world as a whole.

"You will find out in due time. It's not exactly an impressive goal might I add. In fact, it's rather petty and childish, so why spoil the surprise? The whole organization is built on a ridiculous squabble between two powers greater than our own. It's really nothing you need to concern yourself over, _Lord _Lucifer," she chuckled sarcastically.

Sirzechs' eyebrows wrinkled. That was a good indication of who its leader was, but it still wasn't a confirmation. Regardless, that seemed like all he was going to get out of her about the group.

"You tried to kidnap my sister, which is a good indicator that the Old Satan Faction has allied themselves with the Khaos Brigade, which you happen to be a part of. I have every reason to be concerned when this organization threatens not only the Underworld, but my own family. Why did you do it?"

"I already told you," Hel rolled her eyes. "You are Rias' big brother. It made her a primary target for-"

"No," Sirzechs cut her off. "I already know that. I want to know why you were the ones to carry out this mission. Two Norse Gods and a God-Slaying monster, all for one little girl. It could have been done by someone far less powerful than you are. Baldur has his reasons, so what are yours?" he finished, glaring at Hel. Her smirk vanished, replaced with a more neutral and calculating look. It wasn't a look that really suited her features.

"That is only for me to know. As for Fenrir, well, I guess my father sent him as insurance," she responded coldly. Sirzechs scowled at the implication of Loki being involved. The more he discovered, the more he began to realize just how lax Odin's grasp on Asgard really was. "But here's a better question. The boy… you saved him didn't you?"

"I did not."

"Don't lie to me. I know he didn't die. I would have felt his soul pass on. He was resurrected into one of you," Hel accused, her gaze narrowed. Sirzechs didn't feel intimidated in the slightest. He knew if he and Hel were to come to blows, he'd come out on top. It wasn't a particularly big secret that both he and Ajuka were stronger than their predecessors. In fact, they had become so strong, a whole new class of devil had to be invented. Super-Devil, the stage beyond Ultimate-Class. Serafall and Asmodeus were quite close, but didn't quite make the requirements for it.

"The boy lives, but I was not the one who saved him."

"It matters not who did the saving. The only thing that concerns me is that he still breathes. He is a danger to us all," she stated with a finality to her voice he hadn't been expecting. A single eyebrow rose from Sirzechs, his curiosity piqued. What kind of absurd notion could Hel have cooked up to convince him that Gohan was a danger to everyone? Sure the boy was absurdly powerful, but he was also incredibly loyal, almost to a fault. He was a bleeding heart, always showing kindness where he could.

"A danger to you," Sirzechs corrected, only for Hel to shake her head dismissively.

"Your ignorance knows no bounds, Lucifer. Your predecessor would have seen the danger. My disappointment is immeasurable. If you cannot see the danger that mortal possesses, then this world is truly doomed."

"Enlighten me," the King of the Underworld countered. Hel stood up, walking down the rocky steps to face the powerful Super-Devil.

"If it wasn't obvious to anyone that day, he held more power than any mortal ever recorded, even those with a Sacred Gear. A simple human with such power couldn't have gone without notice for so long. I have had a long time to think since being confined to this prison. The consequences of this boy's appearance will spark the end of an era," Hel explained.

"Ragnarok?" Sirzechs suggested, not believing his own words. Hel's features wrinkled at the mention of it.

"Baldur's death was foretold to be at the hands of a demon. One so powerful all gods and creation would fear its existence. You just turned that boy into a demon, devil… whichever you want to call it," she stated, her voice barely louder than a whisper. It was an ominous thought, one that Sirzechs actually reacted to. The coincidence was far too convenient. Could… Hel's words actually have some merit to them? He'd have to think more on it later. "You might have unintentionally set us all on the path to Ragnarok by allowing that boy to be revived."

"I disagree," Sirzechs replied with absolute confidence. The sheer idea that Gohan would be the one to bring about the end of all things was beyond comprehension. He couldn't see it, and surprisingly, it seemed like Hel agreed.

"I would agree with the conclusion you have come to, given that I have fought the boy. He is much too… peaceful, for the lack of a better term. He fights as a shield, not a sword. I don't see him being the demon that brings about the final end," she said, turning to the vast empty void before her. Hel gazed out absently, her hand began crackling with dark energy as she lifted it to her face to examine it. "But that doesn't mean he won't play a role in it."

Hel turned back and dismissed the energy from her hand.

"You believe he will be a primary party to Ragnarok?" Sirzechs questioned.

"I do believe so, yes," she replied. "There are other things that concern me about him. His presence will encourage many others to grow stronger. We gods have grown complacent. We watched your wars from afar, observing you as you all grew in strength to rival our own. It is both terrifying and impressive that you and the Belzeebub have grown to be considered threats among the Pantheons."

"My power is only a result of the conflict I have fought."

"Indeed it is. War and conflict nurture strength. While you have grown stronger, we gods, have grown complacent and weak. Our own hubris crippling us," Hel admitted. The ex-Gremory could see that it stung her pride to even admit that. She turned and settled upon her stone throne. As she sat back down, their eyes met once again. "The bitter taste of defeat is still fresh and I won't forget what it feels like for the next thousand years. You could say it has… encouraged me to better myself and my own abilities."

"You seek to grow your strength?"

"As will all gods once they hear of mortals surpassing them. I have no doubt the Greek Pantheon will be jolted into action. Zeus doesn't take kindly to mortals attempting to stand on the same playing field. My own Pantheon will be kicked into gear by Thor, and I would pray the Egyptian Pantheon doesn't get involved. The last thing I need is Anubis making myself and Hades look like squabbling children."

"I've never had the pleasure of meeting those from the Egyptian Pantheon. They tend to keep to themselves," Sirzechs mused aloud.

"Then pray that you don't," Hel responded seriously. "They are as dangerous as the Hindu deities. Should they get involved as well, then…" she trailed off, a genuine look of concern spread across her face.

"Then what?"

"Then Ragnarok will be the least of our concerns, Lord Lucifer."

* * *

**A/N:**

**That's that for chapter four! Things are coming along rather nicely in my opinion. I hope I'm not rushing things, but at the same time, I'd rather not linger in this time period for too long. Most of us want to get to Canon material, which by chapters five and six will start to be vastly different due to changes Gohan makes before season one.**

**I'll try and update sooner, but work and life get in the way a lot, so really I can't promise anything. I'll try and keep some semblance of a schedule by updating fortnightly, but knowing my streak, that is unlikely.**

**I'll see you guys next time.**


	5. Chapter Five

A/N:

**What's up guys! Quicker update than usual. Hope y'all enjoy.**

* * *

_Chapter Five_

Two years passed since Gohan had become a Devil.

Serafall celebrated his twelfth birthday with him as did Rias and Akeno. He had to admit, he was starting to feel rather comfortable around everyone. It had taken time, but the horrible homesickness had eventually passed. His concern was still ever present, but the knowledge that Bulma was working on a way to get him back gave him some peace of mind. However, after all this time, he wasn't sure what to really think about his eventual return home. He had grown attached to the people around him and was coming to see this place as a second home. The thought of him returning home brought more conflicting feelings than that of relief.

"_Who knows how many more years it'll be before I can really go home?_" Gohan pondered somberly. He was strolling through a marketplace in the Underworld. The plaza was booming, with shops for as far as the eye could see and more people than he'd ever seen in one place at home. It was like a festival, except this was how it was _all_ the time. "_And even when I do go home… I'm a Devil now. I feel like just abandoning my position here would be an insult to everyone that has helped me so far._"

His state of mind was that of constant conflict over the issue.

"Is something troubling you?" Akeno asked. The half-Saiyan Devil sighed heavily, lifting a piece of paper up to read its contents. It was a shopping list that Serafall had given him. It seemed that even in Devil society, mundane tasks like grocery shopping were to be performed by peerage members. Akeno often tagged along with him to help, but also to do some tasks for Rias.

"Just the usual," Gohan replied somberly. "Getting lost in thought tends to be a regular activity."

Akeno reassured him with a small smile. The girl had grown to be one of his best friends over the years, along with Rias. They were some of the only devils around his age that he bonded with. Sona and her queen Tsubaki were also quite close to him, but not quite in the same way that he was with Rias and Akeno.

"If you keep looking so depressed, I'm afraid I might lose myself to lust and take you myself."

Gohan chuckled rather weakly.

It seemed that over the years, Akeno had developed a rather subtle… sadistic streak.

It was hard to believe that such a timid girl had become so sadistically charged. Maybe it had something to do with her traumatic past? Perhaps a coping mechanism? Regardless, Akeno tended to turn her sadism and make it incredibly sexually suggestive. The young Devil Saiyan did his best to ignore it. For the most part, she was a normal friend that Gohan enjoyed spending his time with.

The two turned into a grocery store out of habit and began to walk together, picking out the things on their respective lists. Gohan would be hesitant to admit it, but life… felt more normal here than it ever had before. His time was split between training and completing tasks for Serafall, like helping her with paperwork, shopping, or housework. He also spent his time studying the Underworld and various other cultures, tutored by Grayfia; and spending time with Rias, Akeno, Sona, and Tsubaki gave his education practical experience.

He chuckled thinking about it, but life here was more normal than it was back home. He couldn't remember a time he wasn't training or preparing for a mortal threat back on Earth ever since Raditz showed up. All his life had been just one giant fight after the next. Finally, he seemed to be getting a somewhat peaceful life here, despite dying and being resurrected as a Devil.

"I feel kinda bad for Serafall," Gohan admitted, chuckling a bit as he loaded more food into the cart. Akeno turned to him, a knowing smile on her face. "Her food expenses have gone up since I started living with her."

"That's unsurprising, given the way you eat," Akeno laughed, causing Gohan to flush in embarrassment.

"I can't help it! I have a big appetite!"

"I remember when you came to sleep over with Rias, Sona, and myself. You almost ate Sirzechs out of house and home! You should have seen the look on Grayfia's face when you cleaned out your fifteenth dish," the Fallen Angel-Devil hybrid giggled. Gohan grumbled at her attempts to embarrass him. He had trained with Rias and Akeno at the same time and wiped the floor with both of them. Akeno decided since she couldn't get her sadistic pleasure out of hurting him, that she'd get it out of embarrassing him instead.

"Don't remind me," he rolled his eyes in response. "It was mortifying enough to have Serafall chew me out for that afterward when I got back home. She'll never let me live it down!"

Akeno's giggles only increased, her face turning beet red from the laughter. She was holding her sides as she continued to publicly humiliate the Son of Goku. With a huff, Gohan turned to carry on with his shopping, his mood thoroughly soured. As he turned, he neglected to keep aware of his surroundings and bumped into someone. A few things fell out of the basket the person had been carrying as they fell.

The victim of his ignorance let out a tiny squeal as they hit the ground. Upon investigation, he found a small white haired girl with cat-like ears strewn across the cold marble floor. Gohan couldn't help but notice the white feline tail as well. He hadn't seen anything like this since arriving in the Underworld three years ago.

She was dressed in some kind of loose-fitting yukata that had a white, flowery theme to it. The clothing was quite indecent as her current position on the floor didn't leave much to the imagination.

"S-Sorry!" Gohan reached down and helped her to her feet. "I should have been more careful."

She didn't open her mouth to respond. Instead, with a rather panicked look in her eyes, she bent down and tried to pick up the things she had dropped. She looked extremely young, perhaps younger than him? Gohan wasn't quite sure, but the moment he tried to open his mouth to say something else, another voice came from behind her.

"Shirone!" Looking up, Gohan saw an older looking female approach in the same kind of outfit the girl was wearing. Except this one was black and _extremely_ loose fitting. Gohan managed to suppress a small blush at the indecency of these girls. His mother would have had a fit if she saw them in public.

This girl had black hair, along with black cat ears and a tail. Sister perhaps?

"Kuroka…" the smaller girl mumbled. The older sister wrapped her in a hug.

"You were supposed to finish the shopping fifteen minutes ago. Quick, let me help you finish," Kuroka hastily led her little sister away from Gohan and Akeno, not even sparing either of them a glance. Kuroka's black tail wrapped around the shopping basket and pulled it up to her hand. Before Gohan could say anything, the two had vanished into a different aisle. The sense of urgency the older girl had displayed gave off bad vibes.

"What was all that about?" Gohan wondered aloud. The older girl had looked so panicked. Akeno walked up next to the boy and let out a heavy sigh.

"If I were to guess, maybe they're in a peerage with an unfavorable master," Akeno said somberly. There were hints of sadness in her tone. While Gohan knew she was rather sadistic, she had an empathetic side to her.

"That'll change," Gohan stated, a scowl appearing on his face. "One day, I'll make sure of it."

"Plenty of time for that," Akeno retorted softly. "Maybe within the next hundred years or so, we'll be able to change that."

"That's too long," Gohan replied, a low tone to his voice. His fists clenched, knowing that his time here would be limited. "_I won't be around for that. I'll be back home before I can see those changes made_."

That thought upset him and he knew why. He had grown attached to this place and its people.

The two finished up their shopping, doing their best to forget about the possibility of the two cat-girls being in some kind of abusive enslavement. However, as much as they tried, it seemed their efforts would go to waste. When exiting the store they saw that a crowd had gathered, encircling three individuals. Through the gaps, Gohan could see Kuroka and Shirone, the older sister standing protectively in front of her while an older looking man stood a few meters away from her.

"Stupid whores!" the man roared. "We're on a time limit here, and yet here I catch you two fuckin' around with one simple task!" the man continued. The bystanders were watching, looking at the man in disgust, but refusing to intervene. To them, this was simply peerage drama, and involving themselves was not a smart move considering how strong High-Class Devils tended to be.

"She just got lost!" Kuroka defended desperately. "Please! It's not her fault!"

"Spare me your excuses!" the man spat angrily. He stalked over, causing Kuroka to back up with Shirone in tow. The younger girl hid behind her big sister's legs, terrified of what was going to happen. "Do you two have any idea what you've done? Time is precious! You fucked up my chance to get another rare piece! Instead, I have to come looking for you idiots!"

Gohan went to take a few steps forward before Akeno stopped him.

"Don't."

"What!?" he hissed under his breath. "You expect me to just stand here and watch?"

"It's not something we can get involved in, Gohan," Akeno said sadly. It was clear she didn't like it either. "It's looked down upon to intervene in another Devil's peerage matters, not to mention insulting. He could be part of a prestigious house. If you intervene, you will be causing issues for Serafall and by extension, the Sitri clan."

Gohan balled his hands, remembering that Grayfia had taught him the same thing. In fact, it was one of the first things he was taught. He didn't see much of a problem with it, but he had never considered the fact that Devils could abuse their peerage. So much time with Serafall, Rias, and Sona had twisted his view on Devil culture. They were so nice and caring, making it rather hard to imagine what the opposite would be like.

"Akeno…" her hybrid friend said, sorrow lacing his tone. "I can't just-" Gohan was cut off by an audible slap. He turned in time to watch as Kuroka hit the ground. She had a blistering red mark on her face, seemingly shocked that she'd been hit. The devil that had slapped her had a glowing red hand. He had a look of hatred in his eyes.

"The only reason you two are even alive is that you and your little bitch of a sister are powerful and have the potential to make my line stronger. Be grateful that you have that chance."

"HEY!"

Before Kuroka could snap and kill her master, the boy she had seen earlier flew over the crowd that had gathered and touched down in front of her, placing himself between her and their master. The boy wore a black undershirt with some loose fitting obsidian fighting pants and dark navy boots. It wasn't exactly anything fashionable, but it seemed that practicality was the goal.

"That's enough," Gohan declared as Akeno begrudgingly landed next to him. If he was going to get involved in this, then she would at least lighten the weight of his punishment by involving herself. Which meant the Gremory family would be brought into this as well as the Sitri clan. Probably not a really smart move on her part, but whatever. She'd be in for an earful by Rias and Grayfia when she returned home.

Murmurs broke out throughout the crowd that had gathered, which unintentionally drew more people to observe the situation. Some staff in nearby stores even came out to see what the big deal was.

"The fuck?" the abusive devil muttered. He ran a hand through his long black hair, a menacing look in his eyes. Gohan immediately knew there was something about this guy that was seriously unhinged. If his treatment of his peerage was anything to go by, then the half-Saiyan could certainly assume this guy was nuts. "Get lost. This has nothing to do with you."

"I don't care," Gohan snapped. "I'm not just going to stand by and watch as someone like you gets away with treating their peerage like trash!"

"You wanna die, kid?"

"You're welcome to try."

A white flame exploded around the boy, causing Akeno to step back slightly and adjust herself. Gohan glared at the High-Class Devil who seemed to re-analyze the situation after his sudden display of power, backing up to put a fair distance between them. Even Kuroka looked slightly stunned. She hadn't been expecting such a small boy to be packing High-Class Devil power. He must be from one of the royal clans!

Which begged the question, why was he getting involved?

"You're making a scene," Akeno grunted lowly, just loud enough for Gohan to hear. He didn't care though, and it was obvious to his female companion. Despite being taught all the rules, he seemed like the type to disregard them when he felt like the situation required it. "Oh well," a small sadistic smile gracing her face. "I'm sure I'll get to see Serafall punish you later."

"No punishment will make me regret what I'm doing," Gohan declared softly to his friend. Akeno sighed dramatically.

"Heh," the arrogant devil smirked. "I'm willing to bet you're a High-class with that kind of power, and that small hottie standing next to you," he licked his lips in a manner that made Akeno scowl. A switch flipped in her head. Now she wanted to see this guy suffer. It would help her sleep better. "I bet she's part of your peerage. Tch, reborn trash."

"Sure," Gohan responded without care. "Now are you going to apologize? Or do I have to make you?"

"Apologize?" the man asked, looking at Gohan as though he was speaking a foreign language. He straightened up and crossed his arms, a smirk crossing his face. "Now why would I apologize to the members of my own peerage? That doesn't make any sense. I own them. They should be thanking me for being so generous. If not for me they'd be living on the streets and shitting in alleyways!"

"That doesn't give you the right to treat them like slaves!"

"Oh, it absolutely does," the man countered. He shrugged as parts of the crowd booed at him. "So unless you want to get hurt, I'd suggest you take a hike!"

Gohan remained standing, showing no signs of movement. It clearly aggravated the devil to see him refuse the warning. The son of Goku knew there was no backing out of this now. He had committed to the cause. The two victims behind him were either going to be set free or he'd die trying. There was no denying it. The Leviathan's Queen was fully prepared to bear the weight of the consequences for this one. This was just one step, a small victory towards creating a better future. If he didn't start now, he wouldn't get the chance later.

"Do you realize who I am?" the man snapped viciously after Gohan's silent denial. "I am one of the last surviving members of the Naberius clan! I could have you cast out of the Underworld and labeled a Stray for this interference!" he roared. Somehow, the Saiyan-hybrid doubted he'd be cast out due to his position as the Leviathan's Queen.

The abusive man was very clearly losing his cool. However, he hadn't attacked yet. At least he had some restraint, but maybe that was because there was a law preventing that. However… there were ways to circumvent that. A duel could be proposed. It wouldn't be the first time he had witnessed a duel in the middle of a populated Underworld market street. If Gohan could play his cards right, he could probably get the devil to forfeit his rights to the Evil Pieces that bound the two Nekomata.

However, to do that...

"I doubt that," Gohan retorted, smirking viciously. "Sounds to me like you're scared. I guess I must be pretty intimidating."

He had to take a page out of Vegeta's book. Push their buttons and get them to lose their cool. Make them do something without thinking. He just had to hope this guy was an idiot.

"Of you? Please, don't make me laugh," the noble devil dismissed with a wave. Gohan wasn't buying it and simply crossed his arms, continuing to gaze at the man with obvious contempt. The crowd around the two started to murmur, mocking the older man. It was laughable from their perspective. Here was this fully grown adult male devil, threatening to cast out a twelve-year-old child. Everyone started to make the assumption the guy was a weakling, and he started to pick up on that. "I'm serious kid! Get lost!"

He sounded more desperate.

"There's only one way that's going to happen."

"And what would that be?" the arrogant devil responded angrily. Gohan gestured to the two Nekomata behind him.

"Forfeit your rights to their Evil Pieces and leave. It'll save you the embarrassment," the half-Saiyan stated, feeling a little bit brutal. It wasn't exactly in his nature to trash talk like this. Having Vegeta around for a portion of his childhood really did rub off on him. The man had a tendency to rile up his opponents and those around him with his massive ego. In some cases, it paid off temporarily. Others… well, overall it never really ended well for the man.

"Good joke," the Naberius devil hissed. "What kind of moron would forfeit his Evil Pieces like that?"

"The kind that wants to keep living," Akeno giggled, eliciting a growl from the opposition. Her remark had clearly pushed the right button because the noble devil started to summon his demonic energy.

"Fine! If you want to fight, I'll gladly oblige!"

"Just you and me," Gohan added. "If I win, those two behind me go free."

"Whatever, you can have 'em! As if you'll win anyway!" the man retorted furiously. "When I win, I get you and that little whore of yours. Maybe then I'll get to teach you some respect!"

"Deal!" Akeno cried, practically laughing. This caught the Naberius devil and Gohan off-guard. Akeno then turned to Gohan, arms crossed over her chest. "I've seen you train with Serafall," she whispered, so only he could hear it. "You make her take you seriously. If you can do that, this clown is roadkill. I shouldn't have anything to worry about."

"Still," Gohan rubbed the back of his head, unsure how to really respond. "Your enthusiasm kind of stunned me."

"Are we doing this or what!?" the man boomed, his smirk more arrogant than ever. "Come over here and let's get this over with so I can get on with my day."

Gohan just sighed.

"Try not to kill him," Akeno giggled.

"No promises," Gohan retorted, his expression displaying boredom.

The fight started the moment the devil launched himself at Gohan without warning.

His entire body was enveloped in a green glow that circled with emerald electricity. The half-Saiyan merely glared back, clearly bored already. However, his opponent didn't care in the slightest. All he saw was white rage, determined to teach the arrogant children a lesson. The Naberius clan would not be taken so lightly! Dashing forward, the attacker closed the distance with impressive speed. To Gohan, it wasn't anything to worry about though.

"_Balance is off… lazy form and too much frontal power in his offense,_" the child warrior thought, eyeing his opponent's every move. "_How exactly do I do this without turning this guy inside out? I don't want to accidentally kill anyone over something like this."_

The madman threw his magically enhanced punch toward Gohan only to have the boy dodge it effortlessly. Having blurred to the left, the son of Goku easily brushed off the man's fist, allowing it to glide harmlessly past him. A powerful jab to the man's forearm altered the course of the attack's direction vastly. In a moment of irony, the man ended up hitting himself in the chin, Gohan having guided his own fist back into his face.

It had happened in a flash!

Dazed, the assaulting devil stumbled back, metaphorical stars circling above his head.

"_No need to drag this out,_" the boy thought, curling his right hand into a ball.

With a thunderous crack, Gohan slammed his fist right into his enemy's stomach, in the same way he had done to Cell.

The devil spewed up blood onto Gohan's outstretched arm. Stumbling back, the man continued to cough up blood, unable to get out any words. Kuroka and Shirone stood up sporting looks of complete shock. Akeno sighed in satisfaction as she watched Gohan's opponent fall to his knees, gasping for air, blood trailing out of the corners of his mouth.

"_Damn, he's bleeding. Did I overdo it? Hope I didn't cause any lasting damage…_"

The half-Saiyan glanced at his arm as Akeno walked up to his side and summoned a red towel, before handing it to him. Gohan calmly cleaned off the blood as the crowd watched in abject silence. In a few moments, he handed the towel back to Akeno. She promptly lit it ablaze with a static discharge. The boy then returned his attention to the downed man.

"You're not very smart, are you?"

"F-Fuck… y-you!" the winded playboy wheezed.

"Again with the profanity… seriously," Gohan rolled his eyes. He took a few steps forward, making the arrogant devil fearful. "Are you going to honor our little deal? Or are you going to look like a coward in front of all these people?" he asked in a rather bored tone. The Naberius devil fumed as he opened his mouth to snap back with a retort, only to stop as the murmurs of the crowd reached his ears.

"Is he going to follow through?"

"He got beat, he'd be a coward to back out now."

"Those girls need to go free, he lost fair and square."

"Naberius clan? Surely he'll honor his claim."

Gohan turned to Akeno and gestured to her after his defeated opponent showed no signs of upholding their little deal. She walked over looking rather excited.

"Hey, you're better at doing this. Can you make him do what we agreed?" the half-Saiyan asked casually.

"Oh my…" Akeno started to blush. She bent down and ran a finger under the arrogant Devil's chin. She got up close and personal with the abusive man and gave him a sadistic smirk. "Are you going to follow through? Or am I going to have to _discipline _you? No one likes a coward who goes back on their word."

She licked her lips, and for some reason, the Naberius devil looked more scared than Cell had.

Gohan wasn't exactly sure how Akeno was able to instill such terror into people, but it worked. The devil raised his arm and pointed it towards the boy. A magical circle appeared between the two of them. There was a glow as a stream of red energy left him and entered the son of Goku's body. There was an unmistakable look of hatred and regret in the defeated devil's eyes.

After a few moments, the deed was done and his ownership over Kuroka and Shirone had been transferred to Gohan.

Although, the half-Saiyan was wholly unaware of what actually went on. He hadn't quite been educated on what the process was regarding Peerage trades seeing as Grayfia thought he wouldn't need that knowledge for quite some time. The requirements for a reborn devil to become a High-class Devil were quite intensive. Not many got beyond Middle-class.

"This i-isn't over," the man spat. "I'll be back to take what's _mine_. You'll pay for this in blood!"

Before anyone had a chance, the defeated man shot to his feet, glaring at both Akeno and Gohan, a mad look in his eyes. He then turned and sprinted into the crowd, pushing his way through people who hadn't already managed to get out of his way. When he was just out of earshot, the hybrid Saiyan guessed he started cursing him for what he had done, judging from the echoes of anger he heard.

The crowd slowly started to disperse, murmuring to each other about the strange boy who had taken down an infamous High-class noble in one hit. Gohan didn't pay it any mind as he turned to retrieve his groceries.

"That was quite a show you put on," Akeno giggled as she walked up next to him. Her tone then flipped to a more serious one. "Although, now you're going to have to explain to Serafall how you gained the starting of a peerage."

"Huh? But I'm not even-" Gohan paused, scratching his head in slight confusion. He had only recently been promoted to a Middle-class Devil by Serafall, and that was just based off all the mundane tasks he had done for the Underworld. According to Grayfia, he was a couple of years off being promoted to a High-class. Apparently, there was a big festival and party involved when a Reborn Devil reaches High-class.

Gohan turned to Kuroka and Shirone, the two just staring at him in slight shock. Neither of them seemed to have any words to say and just settled for stunned silence. Years of abuse and torment by that disgusting man had just ended in an instant. Kuroka still had bloodlust running through her veins. She had been ready to take her old master's head until this boy had appeared out of nowhere and claimed ownership over the two of them.

She was honestly… speechless.

"Wait… I'm a master now?" Gohan asked in a panicked whisper. Akeno once again giggled, taking pleasure in his distressed features. "I thought I just freed them."

"Nope," Akeno replied gleefully. "They are bound to you now. That's what the idiot did. He transferred his rights over their Evil Pieces to you."

"B-But, I can't be their master," Gohan whispered dreadfully. "I'm not even a High ranking Devil yet! I don't even want a Peerage!"

Akeno's smile just widened.

"I can't wait to see what Serafall's going to do to you."

Serafall...

Serafall.

_Serafall_!

"_Oh no."_

=/=

* * *

=/=

"YOU DID WHAT!?"

The Leviathan mansion had just gotten a whole lot more lively.

Sitting in the formal dining hall, Gohan, Kuroka, and Shirone sat together on one side, while Rias, Akeno, and Sona sat opposite to them. At the head of the table, Serafall stood, both palms planted on the polished wood, glaring daggers at Gohan. While her glare didn't particularly strike fear into him, it did make him feel incredibly guilty for screwing up. If he had realized that he was going to end up with a peerage after that bet, he would have never taken it. It looked like that devil had meant his words quite _literally_ when he said that Gohan could have them.

"In my defense, I-"

"NO!" Serafall screamed, her voice a mixture of comical despair and anger. "THERE IS NO DEFENSE HERE!" she roared. She glared at him for another few seconds before breaking down and sinking back into her chair. Slumping, she allowed her body to almost deflate. She then started kicking and punching the air like a child having a tantrum. "Of all the stupid things you could have done! That was one of the worst! Now what am I going to do!?"

"It isn't that bad…" Rias chuckled weakly. Sona coughed drawing everyone's attention to her.

"Actually, it is. Gohan is in the possession of an Illegal Peerage. He is only a Middle-class Devil. It is against the laws imposed by Ajuka Beelzebub himself. Only those of High-Class and above are legally allowed to possess a Peerage. Although, Gohan is a very intricate case," Sona stated. "He's my sister's queen. His status should technically already be High-ranking or more, but we have systems in place that are preventing that from happening."

"Quite the predicament isn't it?" Akeno chuckled. Rias glared at her queen.

"You're not innocent in any of this, Akeno. You could have prevented things from getting this far."

"Oh my… what could I have done? Gohan was so determined to help them. Are you implying I'm powerful enough to restrain a devil whose power rivals Ultimate-class?" Akeno chuckled, causing Rias to blush and turn her stare back to Gohan. Akeno did have a point there. Even if Akeno wanted to, she couldn't force someone like Gohan to do anything. Hell, Rias herself wouldn't be able to do anything to stop him. Only Serafall herself or Sirzechs would be able to do something like that.

"This is turning out to be an interesting day…" Kuroka murmured to herself. When she went out shopping this morning with Shirone, she hadn't expected to be traded, especially to the Leviathan's queen of all devils.

Serafall rested her head on the table on a slanted angle so she could continue to glare at Gohan. However, the look only caused Gohan to nervously laugh. Her glare turned into a pout as she released a heavy sigh.

"Seriously, what am I going to do with you now?" she groaned, having calmed down. "Getting you to High-class status is stressful enough. Adding THIS to the list of growing concerns is going to make me wrinkle! WRINKLE!" Serafall whined. "Magical girls don't have wrinkles!"

The group fell into silence, aside from the intervals where Serafall was groaning, mumbling about how her life had gotten so difficult as of late. Gohan knew she loved having him around, but she'd often over dramatize how his presence causes her grief. He knew she was always joking because he actively went out of his way to try and make her life easier, and it showed for her. She got her paperwork done quicker, chores around the mansion were cut down by half the time. It was only when Gohan stepped out of line due to ignorance that she got upset.

However, those instances were few and far between. Although, this time, it seemed he had really fallen into hot water. Apparently, this was undeniably illegal and had serious repercussions.

"I guess there's no way around this," Serafall muttered depressingly. She stood up and turned, lifting an arm in the process. Magic radiated from her arm and hit the ground in front of her. She waited for a few moments, crossing her arms while the group waited in anticipated silence. After about a minute, she nodded and turned to sit back down. The glowing blue magical circle on the ground disappeared and was soon replaced by a green one.

In a flash of neon green light, Ajuka Beelzebub stepped out of the teleportation circle. Rias and co. gasped at the sudden appearance of a Satan Lord. Ajuka's time was never wasted and always preferred to continue his research than his actual role as a Beelzebub. However, when required, it seemed he'd fill the role without hesitation. Gohan allowed himself to swallow nervously as the man approached the table. He was tall, pale with dark green hair. Rather lanky for a Satan, but if Sirzechs and Serafall were anything to go by, then looks didn't matter at all.

"Lady Leviathan," he calmly said, his tone projecting the utmost respect. "What seems to be the issue for you to call on me so urgently?"

"We have a problem," Serafall moaned, gesturing to Gohan. Ajuka briefly glanced at the boy and observed him for a few seconds. A small smile appeared across his face, one of intrigue and delight. "My queen has gotten himself into a mess."

"Ah… an Illegal Peerage," Ajuka murmured as he took a seat at the table. "How fascinating. How did you manage that, young man?" he asked politely. Everyone seemed rather taken aback, aside from Serafall who rested her cheek on the palm of her hand. She couldn't look more displeased even if she tried. It seemed this Illegal peerage stuff was _really_ important.

"How could you tell?" Sona asked, shocked at the accurate leap in logic. Ajuka merely chuckled.

"Dear, I designed the Evil Piece system. I know how it works. I can identify any piece if I wanted. That boy undoubtedly has become a King to those two Nekomata. I am quite interested as to how that happened. You don't seem like the type to go around breaking rules," Ajuka stated, turning back to Gohan. The boy rubbed the back of his neck, his expression one of uncertainty. He didn't know the specifics of how it all worked, but he understood enough to know how it all happened.

He briefly recounted the story, omitting no details.

"Ah, I see. A simple poor assumption. I do wonder why you did not correct the master."

"I didn't really see the point. I wasn't expecting him to trade them to me. I thought they were just going to be set free," Gohan reasoned. Ajuka shrugged, understanding his viewpoint completely. The boy wasn't a criminal. It was just a fair oversight. He clearly hadn't been educated on the intricate workings of the Evil Piece system. He would have to have some words to Sirzechs and Grayfia for omitting that knowledge from Gohan. He understood why they had probably done it. The boy wasn't anywhere close to being a High-ranking Devil so there didn't seem to be a need to teach him these things yet.

"A small oversight," Ajuka concluded. Serafall scoffed at his response. "Lady Leviathan, please. There is no need to be so hostile." the Beelzebub reasoned. The female Satan looked ready to pull out her own hair due to stress.

"I don't want to banish him! I'd tell him to trade the two to Rias or myself but he doesn't even know how to perform that spell, and it's not easy to teach!" the Devil queen cried. Rias raised an eyebrow as she turned her gaze towards the two individuals in question. It wasn't like she was opposed to the possibility of taking at least one of them as servants if the opportunity was presented. Both of them seemed powerful in their own right. However, it wasn't about power to Rias. All she really wanted to do was give her peerage members a family or friends to rely on.

"What pieces are you two?" Rias asked out of curiosity.

"I take up a mutated bishop. Shirone's a rook," Kuroka replied. Rias placed a hand to her chin in deep thought. It wasn't like she didn't have those pieces available to her. She only had Akeno right now and she had very recently recruited Kiba Yuuto. He was back at the Gremory estate doing some jobs she had left him to fulfill while she hung out with Sona. However, now she found herself caught up in this mess because her queen decided to get herself into trouble. Rias would discipline Akeno, but she was afraid the girl would take it as a challenge and enjoy it.

"Well, it's not like I _can't_ do a trade," Rias shrugged, looking towards Serafall. "I'm sure Lady Leviathan can also take the two of you off Gohan's hands if the situation really calls for it. Lord Beelzebub, is it really such a problem if Gohan has a peerage? I mean, from what he told us it was completely unintentional."

A quick glance at the crimson Gremory heiress told everyone in the room she had ulterior motives. It wasn't like Akeno, Serafall or Sona had forgotten that Rias had wanted to become Gohan's queen not that long ago. To Akeno, that fact hadn't exactly changed.

"Rules are rules, Rias," Serafall moaned, her head sinking closer to the table. "If the Satan Lords can't uphold the rules, then how can we expect everyone else to? I mean, sure, even if we did make an exception for Gohan, I feel like that's a slippery slope. There's a reason why ascending to the rank of High-class is such a widely celebrated event in the Underworld. Getting Evil Pieces is one of the biggest accomplishments out there."

"However," Ajuka interjected. "Gohan is a part of _your_ peerage, Serafall. By that notion alone, he already is a High-ranking Devil. It's only the arbitrary rules we agreed to put in place that really contradict that little detail. The fact that this is an issue now is only because us Satan Lords have never recruited Devils lower than _Ultimate_-class into our peerage. Gohan being in your peerage has revealed a unique flaw in our laws."

"Sorry I had to go and die," Gohan chuckled weakly, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm not really that well educated on the specifics of Devil politics," Kuroka spoke up, drawing everyone's attention towards her. "But, I really don't have an issue with my master being a Middle-class Devil. Shirone won't mind either. If it's really such a big deal, it's not hard to just keep our mouths shut. Nobody has to know," the black-haired Nekoshou stated. She then shrugged, as if the whole situation wasn't all that big of a deal in the first place. "Besides, I don't recall our ex-master even learning about Gohan's name or identity. As long as our little master here doesn't go galavanting about, there shouldn't be a cause for concern… right?"

"Well spoken," Ajuka praised, causing Kuroka to blush lightly. "The Nekoshou girl is right. I don't see any need to punish Gohan. He may -by our law- be in the possession of an Illegal peerage, but I personally believe he should have been a High-class Devil from the start. That was the only detail I disagreed with Sirzechs on. Most of us here have seen his power. Most would assume he's an Ultimate-class anyway."

"Unless his status is called into question," Sona brought up. "There's always a possibility."

"It can be minimized by being careful," Serafall said finally, giving in to the direction the conversation was going. She adored Gohan and the last thing she wanted to do was get rid of him over something like this. "Which means no jumping in and starting fights!" she finished, glaring at the boy. Gohan raised his hands in a surrender motion.

"Alright! Gosh, I'll be more careful next time."

"I did warn you what would happen," Akeno giggled, causing Gohan to deadpan. The girl really found enjoyment in the suffering of others, no matter what form it was in. Just like a true sadist. However, despite all of that, the half-Saiyan had to admit that Akeno did, in fact, warn him about what could possibly occur.

"Well, if that's all," Ajuka stated, standing up. A green circle appeared beneath him as he prepared to teleport away. "I have things I must return to. I bid you all farewell and good luck. Rest assured, my knowledge of this will remain restricted to those I trust completely."

"Thanks, Beelz-y" Serafall yawned lazily.

In a green flash, he was gone. Suddenly, Gohan felt a lot more relaxed than he had before. He hadn't even realized he was so tense. It was as if he had been getting scolded by his mother. Although, it didn't seem as bad. Serafall was starting to feel like an older sister as the years had gone by. Although, that didn't stop him from feeling guilty when she told him off. Despite Ajuka leaving, the tension in the room still remained fairly high.

"So that's it then?" Rias asked, looking fairly disappointed with the outcome. "They're just going to stay bound to him?"

"Seems like it," Sona commented. "Unless he's willing to learn the spell to trade them, there's not much we can do aside from request they be forcibly removed from him, and Lord Beelzebub is one of the only people that can do that," she finished. Gohan glanced at Kuroka and Shirone out of the corner of his eye. Neither one of them particularly seemed too thrilled about being traded again. Despite her silence, the younger of the two Nekoshou displayed subtle signs of distress at the thought of being traded again.

"Can we not talk about them like they're property?" Gohan frowned, a more serious look coming across his features. "I'll admit, I don't really want a peerage, but it's not like it's going to cause me any issues. I'll happily learn the spell to trade them, but I'd rather leave the choice up to them. They're not property, they're people," the half-Saiyan finished, turning to Kuroka and Shirone. The two of them looked rather stunned, especially the older sister.

"Our… choice?" the black-haired Nekoshou breathed as if it were the most unbelievable thing she had ever heard. Gohan could only nod in response.

"I didn't really know that peerages can be often summarized as slavery," he glanced at Serafall. The Devil queen's expression dropped, a crestfallen look in her eyes as if she were ashamed that a good portion of Devils treated their peerage members like garbage. It reflected badly on their entire race. However, the Sitri and Gremory families were standouts when it came to respect and civility. "Akeno did tell me that we were lucky to be bonded to such nice and caring people," he smiled, looking at Rias, Sona, and his own King. The three of them all lightened up a bit.

The room was silent for a few moments, no one really knowing what to say, that is until it was broken by the most unlikely individual.

"I'll stay," Shirone said quietly. She leaned over and hugged her older sister's arm for support. "I want to stay."

"That's… not a shock," Kuroka admitted, turning to Gohan. "We were reborn into Devils, our ex-master claimed that it would be for the best. Turned out he was nothing but a bastard. I saw nothing but tyrant Kings wherever we went. I was always under the impression that Devil's were nothin' but garbage," she said, a slight look of distaste in her eyes. However, the look vanished when she looked over each person in the room. "You guys feel different. I think… we'll get to know our new King before we decide to jump ship."

Rias smirked, opening her mouth to say something but was cut off by a nudge from Sona, accompanied by a glare. The Sitri and Gremory heiresses glared at each other for a few seconds, drawing the attention of the room. After an awkward few moments, Rias got up from her chair and beckoned for Akeno to join her.

"Well, now that everything is sorted out, we should be leaving."

"Aw, but I want to get to know-" Akeno was cut off by a stern glare. The fallen angel hybrid bit her lip as she stood up, bowing, before joining Rias.

"We'll see you all soon," Rias said, staring at Gohan. The boy wasn't quite sure what had just happened between her and Sona, but it obviously had the two heated. Before long, Rias had teleported both her and Akeno back to the Gremory estate. Sona allowed herself to sigh while Kuroka idly wondered what had just happened.

"I really need to talk with Sirzechs about that," Serafall murmured. "It's really starting to get troublesome."

"Sister," Sona started. "Is it true? That Lord and Lady Gremory wish to-"

"Yes," Serafall answered before she could finish. "It's why little Rias has become a little more pushy about it."

Gohan then realized what they were talking about. Rias was still adamant in becoming his queen. Despite all the times he had turned her down, she didn't let up. If anything, the rejection made her advances stronger. Now that he actually had the beginnings of a peerage, he came to the startling realization that he had just given the Gremory princess all the more reason to persuade him to allow her to become his queen.

Even despite the reasons he had already given.

"Uh, does this have anything to do with us?" Kuroka asked curiously.

"It could," Serafall retorted blandly. "Depends on whether or not Rias will take a liking to Riser Phenex."

Gohan only had one question.

"Who's Riser?"

=/=

* * *

=/=

"So, uh…"

Gohan did his best to hide his awkwardness from the two cat-girls. He sat on the edge of his bed, his legs and arms crossed. Kuroka and Shirone sat on the floor in front of him in a kneeling position. They were both still in their black and white yukatas respectively, despite how loose fitting Kuroka's seemed to be. The half-Saiyan wasn't exactly sure where to start with all of this. Serafall had ditched him to go inform Sirzechs of the predicament he had found himself in. With the support of both her and Ajuka, there wasn't much Sirzechs could do anyway. Besides, the man seemed to like him too much to punish him regardless of this unintentional crime.

"There are, uh… plenty of guest rooms," Gohan chuckled weakly. The two had followed him to his room. What seemed even more strange was the lack of intention to actually leave his room and go find a spare room to sleep in. He wasn't sure if he was comfortable sleeping in the same room as these two. He barely knew the two, despite saving their lives.

"I know," Kuroka said simply. "I think I'd rather sleep in here though, in that bed," the girl said pointing to Gohan's bed. The boy frowned, a tired look overcoming his face. Shirone didn't give any physical or verbal response, though, Gohan guessed the younger sister felt the same way.

"OK, let me stop you right there," Gohan held up his hands to stop her before she went any further. "First of all, that's my bed. Second, no one is sleeping there besides me. I understand that you feel grateful to me for getting rid of your old master, but there's no need for that."

"Oh?" Kuroka smirked, noticing a light blush cross her new King's cheeks. "What kind of thoughts were _you_ thinking?"

Gohan summoned a small ball of energy on his fingertip and flicked it at her. The light smacked her in the forehead so hard she toppled over. Despite his blush, he was sporting a deep frown, clearly embarrassed by the older girl's insinuation. He didn't need to be a genius to understand what she was implying. Maybe a few years ago it would have gone over his head, however, he had since hit puberty. He got enough teasing from Akeno and Serafall about all that nonsense to get fed up with it very easily.

Kuroka steadied herself, rubbing the red mark on her forehead with a playful smirk on her face. Her previous master would have probably attacked her for such a comment. Her new King only did so out of embarrassment, besides, Gohan's little light flick wasn't intended to hurt her.

"I get enough of that from Serafall and Akeno. I would prefer if we could keep that nonsense to a minimum, please."

"Aw," Kuroka purred. "Spoilsport. I'm quite enjoying this. So much more relaxing than my previous master."

"I don't really know what it's like to be a King," Gohan started, changing the subject. "I only know from what I've seen from Serafall and Rias. So… since we are still kind of strangers, should we introduce ourselves?"

"I suppose that would be fair," Kuroka agreed. Shirone gave a supportive nod, accepting the notion. "I guess I'll go first. My name is Kuroka. My sister Shirone and I are Nekoshou, a special breed of Nekomata. Our background is rather complicated. We lost our parents at a young age and we were fooled into becoming Devils by that bastard. He's from the house of Naberius, one of the Seventy Two Pillars," Kuroka explained. Gohan hummed looking the two girls over once more.

"Nekoshou…" he glanced at the cat ears and tails the two seemed to be sporting. "So you guys are like cats?" he couldn't help but think back to the time when he still had his tail. There were times he missed it, but it honestly didn't really bother him all that much anymore.

"Careful," Kuroka teased, her tail waving about lazily behind her. "That could be considered insulting."

"Sorry, I meant no offense."

"None taken. Funnily enough, we share a lot of characteristics with cats. Though, if we go into that, we'd be talking all night."

Shirone nodded in silent agreement. Gohan wondered if her refusal to speak had something to do with their ex-master. Kuroka just claimed she was shy, but he had a sneaking suspicion it was a bit more than that.

"Well, I guess it's my turn," Gohan cleared his throat. "I'm Son Gohan. Unsure how to really explain this, but I'm a human-Saiyan hybrid. I lived on Earth when I was younger, living with my Mom and Dad. I uh… ended up in the Underworld after a tough fight and I've been here ever since. I do wish to return home when the opportunity presents itself, but I have a feeling it won't be anytime soon… so I'm here to stay for the time being."

"Can't Serafall or the other Devil Kings just send you home? A trip to Earth isn't anything difficult," Kuroka asked, tilting her head in slight confusion. It wasn't exactly hard to get from the Underworld to the Human world. Devil's did it all the time. In fact, Gohan should be able to do it himself now. However, the look on his face told Kuroka that there was more to it than that.

"It's um… a little more complicated than that."

"How so?"

"My Earth is different than the one connected to the Underworld."

"Huh?"

"Yeah," Gohan laughed sheepishly. "I don't really know how it works either."

Kuroka and Shirone shared a look between the two. Neither of them really understood exactly what _that_ was supposed to mean. They had been to Earth a grand total of three times with their previous master. The idea that there was more than one Earth was a little confusing, to say the least. Although, to the two sisters, it didn't exactly matter right now.

"Say… Sayin…" Shirone voiced, her face contorting as she tried to pronounce the word that had caught her interest.

"Saiyan?" Gohan offered with a smile. The silver-haired Nekoshou nodded in response. "Well, the most I know is that the Saiyans were a warrior race. My dad is one of them. Since my mom is a human, I'm technically a hybrid of the two."

"Warrior race huh?" Kuroka hummed thoughtfully. "It explains how you dropped our previous master so easily. Seriously… one shot and he was done. He ain't a joke either. I may hate him, but I've seen him fight," the black-cat chuckled. To her left, Shirone yawned, her head resting against her sister's shoulder for support. The older sister instinctively pulled her closer and guided the silver themed cat's head to her lap. It was almost like a clockwork action, as if it had been done a thousand times. "Aw, is the little kitten tired? We have had a pretty loaded day after all."

Shirone's feline ears twitched as Kuroka rubbed them lightly, gently lulling the younger girl off to sleep. Gohan absently wondered what it would be like to have a sibling. Being an only child, he had never gotten to experience that kind of bond with anyone. His life was just one fight after another before he arrived in the Underworld. Looking at Kuroka and Shirone, a small part of him was jealous. The two cared very deeply for each other.

"I guess it is pretty late," Gohan yawned, stretching his arms in the process. He watched as Kuroka picked up her sister and walked over to one of the few couches that were placed in the half-Saiyan's room. Being a wealthy mansion and all, Gohan had a very large master bedroom all to himself. It was decked out with an absurd amount of decor and luxury. Television, furniture, and even a small kitchen. It was like a tiny apartment! "Are you sure you don't want to sleep in another room? I'm sure a bed would be more comfortable than a couch."

"It's fine," Kuroka reassured. "You may not realize it, but you emit a calming aura. Shirone seems to have taken a liking to it, plus the additional feelings we have due to the re-established bond of our Evil Pieces. We feel safer when we're closer to you," the older cat explained casually as she found a blanket and tucked her little sister in for a peaceful night's sleep. "Besides, I'll take a couch over the floor any day."

"Floor?" Gohan's features twisted to a look of dismay. "That guy made you sleep on the floor!?" he hissed in disbelief. Kuroka took a seat on the opposite couch and crossed her legs, a somber expression painting her face as she watched Shirone's eyes flutter as Morpheus' realm took her peacefully.

"Wasn't just us. The other members did as well. We all did," Kuroka said, ending with a yawn. "Like I said, dude was an asshole. Had plenty of room as well. His view on reincarnated Devils wasn't exactly a good one. We were slaves to him. From my experience, most High-Class Devils view their peerage as slaves."

"That's wrong," Gohan declared, his conviction as solid as steel. It stunned Kuroka somewhat, but by now the fact dawned on her that she and Shirone got absurdly lucky. To think that there were people like Gohan in the Underworld… people like Serafall, Rias Gremory, and others. Why had it taken so damn long to come across them? Every Devil that she had ever seen had either looked down on her or pitied her. Not one, until Gohan had come along, had ever stood up and spat in the face of slavery.

"It is, and you can't comprehend how grateful I am to you for allowing us to escape that Hell. The last thing I want is for Shirone to grow up through all that abuse and neglect. If you hadn't done something…" Kuroka idly held up a hand, her eyes washing over her palm as she unconsciously channeled a portion of her Senjutsu. A purplish glow covered her hand as she chewed her lip, pained thoughts plaguing her. "I probably would have done something I would have regretted. Something that would have placed Shirone in a lot of danger."

"You would have killed him," Gohan guessed somberly. Kuroka confirmed his suspicion by her silence. "I learned that killing your master results in you becoming a Stray Devil. They're-"

"Executed on sight, yes, I am aware," Kuroka cut off a little too harshly. "A law that favors the side of the King over that of the peasants. I'm not surprised though. If it wasn't such a harsh law, then peerage members would be suffocating their masters in their sleep. Devil-kind close to extinction and what not." she rolled her eyes dramatically. "Cry me a river. Maybe when the remaining members of your kind can be counted on one hand, I'll be sympathetic."

"The Nekoshou…?"

"Only Shirone and I are left. I don't know if there are any others."

Gohan remained silent as Kuroka ran a hand through her hair. Silence reigned between the two as the older sister merely stared at her younger sister, watching to make sure not a hair on her head was harmed or out of place. It was as if Shirone was the most important thing in her life. The half-Saiyan briefly thought of his father and Vegeta, the only two remaining full-blooded Saiyan's in the universe. It had never really occurred to him, seeing as the Saiyan culture was as much of a mystery to him as it was to anyone else on Earth, but he wondered if this is what Vegeta felt like.

If it was, then he certainly didn't show it. He remembered as clear as day how Vegeta had brutally executed Nappa after the bald Saiyan had lost to his father. Did Vegeta care about the survival of the Saiyans? Or was he more concerned about his own strength? On multiple occasions he had proclaimed himself as the proud Prince of all Saiyans, but if he truly cared about the survival of his- their- species, then why did he constantly want to fight Goku?

Perhaps, in the end, Vegeta already saw that his race was done for. To him… in the end, his own strength was what mattered.

It would certainly explain his actions since meeting the ruthless man.

"Tell me," Kuroka said suddenly, drawing Gohan out of his thoughts. "You seem pretty well-spoken, yet you look about the same age as my sister. How old are you?" she asked.

"I'm twelve. I'll be thirteen soon though."

"Shirone will be twelve soon as well. I happened to just turn sixteen awhile ago. I feel older though, having to take care of her on a daily basis."

"Well, I'm sure you don't have to worry about that too much anymore. I promise you're surrounded by good people. They aren't like the Devils you know."

"I can see that," she retorted with a small smirk. "I figured that out the moment you stood up for us," Kuroka smiled. There was a warmness in her eyes, something that Gohan was sure he wouldn't forget any time soon. Despite all the people he saved back home with his father and his friends, there was very little opportunity to be thanked for what they do. This was one of those rare moments for Gohan, where he got to see just how much of an impact his actions had on someone.

"Well," the boy sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "I would do it for anyone. That felt like the first moment in a long time where I knew I could make a difference, so I did. I didn't really need to think about it."

"Well look at you," Kuroka purred. "Mr. Romeo himself. Be careful, with a heart that big, every girl is gonna want a piece sooner or later."

"Aw come on," Gohan moaned. "We were having a moment, why'd you have to go and ruin it?"

"Sorry," the girl giggled. She clearly wasn't sorry. "You better get some rest. Tomorrow, I want to take you for a test drive."

"Huh…?"

"A spar, if you want to phrase it that way," Kuroka replied, clearing up the confusion. "I want to know if my new King is packing as much power as I think he is."

"You want to train?" Gohan asked, his curiosity rising. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea. Serafall's been pretty busy lately so I've been slacking a bit. I could use the exercise."

"Good," Kuroka snarked, grabbing a blanket and throwing it over herself as she stretched out on the couch. "I won't go easy. I'm much stronger than my pathetic ex-master, so don't expect me to go down in one punch, ya hear? I'm not that foolish."

"Yeah, yeah," Gohan chuckled as he walked over and switched off the lights. "Don't expect me to go easy either."

"I'd kick your ass if you did."

"Good night, Kuroka."

"Night… _Monkey Boy_."

Gohan tensed as he stared through the darkness at Kuroka's form. She was tucked beneath a blanket, chest rising and falling. The lower end of his back started to itch as his thoughts drifted to his amputated tail. He shook his head as he moved to his own bed and prepared for a good night's sleep. Though the thought still bothered him.

"_How'd she know?_"

* * *

**A/N:**

**So! Kuroka and Shirone. Bet you guys didn't see that one coming! It may seem a wee bit rushed with how quickly it all happened, but I've been reassured that it's fine. Some of you might have an issue with Gohan having a peerage even though he didn't intend to. Trust me, Gohan's mostly against having it and the ramifications of it will be explored as the chapters go by. This may be a deal breaker for some? I'm unsure, it's really hard to gauge what some people think is a bit too far. Also, I'm not a complete expert on the intricacies of the Evil Piece system so I'm taking creative liberties with it to add to the world building of this story.**

**Anyway, that's all for now guys. Catch you in the next update!**


	6. Chapter Six

**A/N:**

**I'll keep this brief. Yes, it's been a year. No, I'm not dead. I've just been busy dealing with stuff over the past year that kind of stopped me from writing. I fully intend to keep going with this story, although the next chapter might be a month or so away. Don't quote me on that, I already have a track record of sucking when it comes to promises. Chapter Seven still needs to be thoroughly edited.**

**Cheers for anyone still looking forward to reading and made it this far! Big thanks to: Doomguy914, Cruzerblade, Dmoose18, and Kamaru for beta reading this chapter!**

* * *

_Chapter Six_

Awakening the next morning, Gohan found that his nightly rests hadn't changed all that much.

Sitting up, he saw Shirone still sleeping soundly on the couch, while Kuroka was missing. There was a delicious smell in the air though, akin to cooking food. Judging from the light that seemed to be pouring through the curtains, he theorized that it was earlier in the morning. He absently wondered how that artificial sun worked. He had read that it was created to mirror the human world because there were a vast amount of reborn Devils that happened to be human and missed the day and night cycle.

Apparently, the Underworld didn't use to be like this. The current four Satans had gathered and altered the flow of space and time to mirror that of the human world. A moon and sun were created, and it was all supposed to be for the comfort of the reincarnated Devils. It was incredibly thoughtful of them to do something like that to help the newer Devils transition into their new style of life. A quick glance at his bedside clock confirmed his suspicions on the time. Eight o'clock in the morning. Not bad really.

Gohan liked to think he was more of an earlier riser than most. Years of being woken up to train by his father, and to study by his mother, had drilled into an internal body clock that refused to go away despite being displaced in an entirely new dimension. With a yawn, he threw off the covers and got out of bed. Having slept in some clothes, the hybrid warrior made his way over to Shirone to wake her up.

He gently shook her to wake her up. The boy watched as she calmly stirred, her eyes fluttering to get the sleep out of them. With a yawn of her own, she stretched and sat up to face the smiling boy.

"Good morning," Gohan said warmly. "Sleep well?" the girl only nodded in response. She aimlessly looked around, wondering where her sister had gone when she had seen that Kuroka was indeed absent from the room. A very brief flash of panic crossed her face before disappearing with a look of curiosity, her nose twitching at the welcoming smell of cooking food.

"Where's Kuroka?" Shirone asked softly. A quick stretch of his senses told him that the older Nekoshou was downstairs with Serafall, no doubt responsible for the delicious smell they were both experiencing.

"Downstairs, cooking food with Serafall I think," Gohan replied happily. Offering a hand to the sleep-hazy girl, she took it and crawled out of her sleeping spot. She was still wearing her white yukata that she and Kuroka seemed to wear. Letting out one more yawn as she stood up, she immediately headed towards the door. When she got there, she patiently turned and waited for Gohan to follow. He started off after her, opening the door when he reached her. He wondered why she had waited and hadn't just left? She seemed like the silent type. He wasn't quite sure where to start to get her to open up a bit more.

Maybe it was expecting too much. They'd only just bonded the other day. A lifetime of abusive service would have her sparing as few words as possible out of habit. Besides, it seemed like Kuroka did most of the talking anyway.

The two walked side by side down the hallway of the Leviathan Mansion, heading towards the kitchen. Gohan noted that Shirone kept to his pace rather than making her own way there. It was strange. Not once had she taken her eyes off him either. The two stood at the same height so it was hard to ignore her curious stare. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Just the way she kept looking at him made him wonder if she was expecting something.

A weak chuckle from him had her pausing her movement. He made it a few steps in front before he had noticed she stopped. Looking back, the girl seemed to continue staring, as if his mere existence dumbfounded her.

"You okay?" Gohan asked. Her nose wrinkled at the question as the gears in her mind started to turn.

"Why did you save us?" she asked simply. The question somewhat caught Gohan off guard. Kuroka hadn't even asked that and seemed pretty accepting of her situation. If anything, the half-Saiyan could tell that Kuroka didn't really care why they had been saved, just that they had been. The black-themed Nekoshou just seemed grateful for what happened and wanted to keep rolling with the punches rather than question the hand fate had dealt. Shirone seemed a little bit more thoughtful, if not skeptical of her supposed savior.

"Just felt like the right thing to do," Gohan replied simply. "Why…? Don't you like it here?"

"I do," she responded quickly. A shy look overcame her as she took a step back as if all her courage that she had somehow mustered to even ask the question had evaporated in an instant. Her tail curled up to her hands as she started playing with the tip like a nervous child. Gohan could easily tell it was a nervous habit she had developed over the years. It wasn't exactly difficult to guess why it had developed. "I'm sorry."

"There's no need to apologize. It's fine. I'm not going to hurt you for talking and asking questions," Gohan explained with a reassuring smile. Shirone calmed down a bit, gathering up her nerves. Kuroka wasn't here at the moment and her older sister had told her on multiple occasions that she wouldn't be around to help her in every situation. While Kuroka shielded her from the brunt majority of the abuse from their ex-master, that still didn't mean there weren't scars both physically and mentally.

"I just wanted to know," she started again. "You're the first nice one I've met."

"Really?" Gohan wasn't really sure if he should feel shocked or disgusted. Aside from her sister, was it really that bad? Misery seemed to like its comparable company. Perhaps Shirone and Kuroka never really got to experience the nicer side of the Underworld. He had seen his fair share of scumbags, their ex-master included, but there was a good majority of Devils that acted as nice as any normal person would. Both pure-blood and resurrected. "No one aside from your sister has shown you a shred of compassion?"

Shirone shook her head sadly.

"A few of the other peerage members," she said softly. "Kuroka didn't like some of them though. Said they were just as bad as the King, despite being treated just like us."

Gohan found himself questioning once again, what kind of world he had landed in more than three years ago. None of that made any sense to him. He couldn't for the life of him understand the thought process of some of these Devils. Did some of them actually like cruelty? Did some of them actually enjoy being treated like trash? Or were they too scared to speak up? It had to be the latter. It just had to be.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Gohan replied sympathetically. "You know, you may be a member of my… uh… peerage," he said with some uncertainty. In reality, he wasn't sure how comfortable he was with the idea. Perhaps he should ask Grayfia to teach him how to trade pieces, however, he didn't want to upset Kuroka or Shirone. "But that doesn't give me the right to tell you what to do. You are your own person, just like me, or anyone else. If I ask anything of you, know that I'll do it out of friendship, never because I can."

Shirone didn't give any physical or verbal reaction. She just stared at him, an emotionless visage painted on her features. Gohan resisted the urge to shift uncomfortably or laugh nervously. Shirone definitely had a pair of eyes on her to be able to stare at him for so long without blinking.

"You're a good person," Shirone said finally, walking up to Gohan and wrapping her arms around him. It was completely out of left field. The boy could practically feel her heartbeat against his chest. A light blush spread across his cheeks as she departed from him, a light blush of her own. "Thank you, Gohan."

"No problem," he replied softly.

"Ooooh?~" a voice sounded from behind Gohan. The boy turned to see Serafall and Kuroka peering out from the door frame, only their heads visible. The voice had come from Kuroka. The two were smirking fiercely as if they were suddenly aware of a very inappropriate inside joke. "SO sorry to interrupt," she continued with lewdness to her tone not present before. "We came to get you two. Breakfast is ready. Unless… you want to have each other for breakfa- OW!"

Kuroka rubbed her ribs as Serafall elbowed her, a twitching smile on her face.

"Huh?" Gohan was genuinely confused on that one. He was aware of lewd teasing from Serafall and Akeno but he couldn't decipher the meaning of that one.

"Gross," Shirone said blandly, glaring at her sister.

"Come on you two," Serafall laughed walking over to the two children, a strained smile on her features. "We went through the trouble of making a delightful breakfast, it would be a shame if it went to waste because someone couldn't keep a lid on unsavory comments!"

Grabbing both of them by the hands, she led them to the kitchen, passing a smirking Kuroka on the way. While Serafall knew she was being rather hypocritical when it came to lewd teasing, she knew there was a time and a place and now was not one of them. She often did it for her own amusement anyway, to ease the burden of head splittingly boring paperwork. Her queen proved to be rather dense, but after enough of it, he started to catch on as he hit puberty.

As the group entered the kitchen, they were greeted by what seemed like a feast fit for twelve people. Pancakes, French Toast, and virtually most luxury breakfasts were lined up perfectly on the table like visual art. Serafall danced around to the other end of the table and gestured to it with both arms.

"Tada!" she exclaimed happily. "This is my 'Welcome to the Leviathan Family' party! Since you two lovely little kittens happen to be a part of my queen's peerage, you will be staying here for the foreseeable future. I thought it only best to welcome you to my- our home," Serafall explained happily. Shirone was so enticed by the food on the table she literally did not hear a word Serafall had said and had begun drooling.

"Good thing I caught you doing all this," Kuroka took a seat and crossing her legs. "You did need some help after all."

"I did," Serafall chuckled sheepishly. Gohan was still shocked at the amount the two had made.

"Whoa… I've never seen you make so much food before!"

"Well, I know your appetite," the Leviathan King stated with bland amusement. Now it was Gohan's turn to chuckle sheepishly. "Half of it is for you."

"Shirone and I have pretty big appetites as well, but seeing as we were forced to moderate our food intake, we've never really had the pleasure of eating until we're full," Kuroka explained as she began loading up her plate will all different kinds of delicacies. There was enough here to give a diabetic person a heart attack just by looking. Seriously, the amount of sugar could actually be smelt in the air. "Don't mind if I do…" she murmured, devouring a few dishes in seconds.

As it turned out, Kuroka and Shirone had pretty sharp teeth. If the older sister tearing through some meat wasn't evidence enough, Gohan wasn't sure what was. Watching Kuroka devour the food in front of her with such disregard for table manners was kind of nostalgic. Reminded him a lot of his father in a way.

Gohan and Shirone took a seat and started eating away at the mountains of food in front of them, the former acting more like Kuroka when it came to food, while the latter took a much more calm approach, however, eating just as much as the other two. Serafall sat at the head of the table, a single plate of food with utensils, watching as her servant and his two servants mowed their way through the food she had taken hours to prepare.

"I'm going to need a bigger salary," were her only thoughts.

"So," Serafall started, taking a sip of water. "Some ground rules."

"Booo," Kuroka drawled sardonically. Shirone shrugged at the mention of rules and just kept eating, as did Gohan. He was already aware of most of the rules Serafall had imposed on him when he started living here. It was only fair, seeing as he was technically freeloading. Although, now that Kuroka and Shirone were here, there were bound to be more set in place.

"First, no fighting inside!" the Leviathan said seriously. "I make an effort to keep this place clean and spotless. I don't want that ruined because one of you decided to practice your magic inside. Do it out the front."

"Yeah, yeah," Kuroka waved off, continuing to eat lazily. Shirone and Gohan nodded easily, the latter already knowing that it was a rule.

"Second, don't leave any messes! If you make a mess, clean it up! Third, and this one applies to certain people here…" Serafall trailed off, looking at both Shirone and Kuroka specifically. "No walking around without underwear!"

"Oh come on!" Kuroka retorted indignantly. "You can't expect us to follow that rule!"

"Why not?" Serafall countered, an annoyed look on her features. "That's the most reasonable request I've made so far! Er, arguably."

"Sounds reasonable to me," Gohan shrugged, knowing full well what the Leviathan King was referring to.

"These clothes are the only things Shirone and I own!" Kuroka replied hotly. "Also, as Nekomata, it is uncomfortable to wear underwear without forcibly retracting our tails! I personally don't like it. Besides, underwear is overrated," she concluded. Shirone didn't seem to have much of an opinion on the matter. The term 'underwear' made her nose wrinkle as if she didn't approve of it, but she didn't express her discontent with it.

"You're practically naked under that yukata!" Serafall counted, causing the older cat-girl to shrug.

"Everyone's naked underneath. What's your point?"

Gohan watched Serafall bite her lip to stop herself from screaming. It wasn't that he disagreed with her at all. It was rather hard to not look at Kuroka and hide a very obvious blush. The girl flaunted her body like a fashion model. The half-Saiyan knew Serafall was only imposing that rule for his own benefit. The son of Goku was very well aware that living in a house where girls walked around naked wouldn't be very good for his mental health. So he wasn't about to complain.

He absently wondered if girls were like this back home. His mother certainly didn't have any of these characteristics. He'd be very concerned if she did. Neither did Bulma from memory. Actually, the only memory that came to mind was his space trip to Namek with Krillin and Bulma. The latter tended to walk around in her Underwear and tended to be a bit of a slob. However, that was the only instance he could think of.

He was too busy training mentally with Krillin to actually pay all that much attention.

"My house, my rules," Serafall stated finally, a tinge of embarrassment on her face. "Please, just… I'll take you two shopping and you can pick what you want. Just follow these rules please," the Leviathan girl asked nicely, her voice a little shaky. It was very obvious she wasn't going to win an argument about clothing with a borderline nudist.

"Sure," Kuroka said simply. "I guess if that's going to be a rule, we can learn. There's bound to be Nekomata friendly clothing around. Besides, I've never been shopping before. Sounds fun, right Shirone?"

"Mmhm," the younger cat-girl retorted, her mouth full of food. Kuroka finished up and patted her stomach. She stood up and stretched and then with a burst of demonic energy, all the food she had eaten metabolized. She then looked at Gohan who had also finished up.

"Alright then, little King," the girl started. "How about that spar?"

"We just ate," Gohan complained. "Do we really have to do that now?"

"Just accelerate your metabolism with your demonic energy, it's not hard."

Gohan and Serafall shared an incredulous look, both shocked that such a skill could even be conceived with the uses of demonic magic. Truly, the limits of Demon Magic was really just imagination. Anything could be created with the right thought process and power. The half-Saiyan really had to broaden his horizons when it came to his skills in magic. The only thing he had managed to do was self-healing, and even then, he was such an amateur at it.

His Devil Magic was far more complicated to learn, due to the fact that he had trained to master his ki his whole life. The concepts and methods were completely different. The only analogy he could think of was being gifted with a whole new set of muscles and having to learn how to use and develop them. It took a few years for him to really start to get the hang of it. Even now, he still had trouble. His main skill set was still what he was taught by Piccolo and his father though.

"We'll spar soon, Kuroka."

"I'll be outside waiting, kay?" she waved, heading out the door. Gohan sighed dramatically, knowing that for however long he remained here, that girl would be a piece of work. A cough from his King drew his attention to her. Serafall had her arms crossed, staring at him expectantly. A sheepish smile overcame the half-Saiyan's features as he stood up from the table and started stretching. In a magical flash, Gohan changed his clothes into a familiar orange fighting gi.

Grayfia and Serafall had taught him how to change his clothes with a simple demonic spell. It was one of the most basic spells a Devil could learn. Partly teleportation magic, but as long as the clothes existed in his possession, he could summon them onto his body at will. He had since managed to remake his father's iconic gi with the help of Serafall. Apparently she had a thing for sewing and clothing. She had designed and made her own magical girl outfit based on her favorite manga series.

"Spar, huh?" Serafall drawled curiously. "You only met her yesterday and you two already want to fight each other?"

"It was her idea," Gohan defended. "Besides, I've been slacking with you being busy all the time. Not that it's your fault of course with your duties."

"Can't help it," she shrugged in response. "Demon Lord duties and whatnot. They take priority over training. Can't have the leader of the Foreign Affairs slacking off! Then the Underworld relations would fall apart."

"Kuroka just wants to see if I'm as strong as she thinks I am," Gohan continued, agreeing with Serafall's previous sentiment. "Based on how I dealt with her and Shirone's previous master, she's under the impression I'm way stronger than I let on. She also claims that she is much more powerful than that guy."

"Sister was the strongest," Shirone added, finishing her food. "Thank you for the meal," the smaller girl smiled at Serafall. The Leviathan practically squealed at how cute Shirone was. Gohan noted the silver cat-girl's words carefully. Most Devil's walked around with their power un-suppressed. Whether it was an arrogance thing or not, the hybrid warrior wasn't entirely sure. Yesterday, Kuroka certainly wasn't outputting the same energy as the arrogant High-Class Devil, which led him to believe she was capable of suppressing her power.

If that were the case, he was in for a more interesting fight.

"No transforming," Serafall stated quickly as Gohan started towards the door. A small frown crossed his face as he rolled his eyes. Turning, he saw a deadly serious look on her face. "I'm serious. That power can be felt all across the Underworld. Every time you've used it, Sirzechs and the rest of us panic because we think we're under attack."

"I get it," Gohan waved her off. "You've already made that clear. No Super Saiyan while in the Underworld-"

"No," Serafall cut him off. "No Super Saiyan… period. No matter where you use it, it will draw unwanted attention. Only use it when you absolutely have to. That doesn't include spars or training."

"I know," the boy emphasized that time, a look of annoyance overcoming his features. "But if I'm not allowed to transform, then how am I supposed to train my ascended form? You haven't even seen it, yet you've forbidden me from even using it. If the situation calls for it, how am I supposed to bring it out if I can't control it?"

"We'll figure it out. I told you, we'll need a controlled environment for you to practice… whatever that form is, and I'll be there to supervise it," Serafall replied hesitantly. The name Super Saiyan gave her anxiety. Her queen was strong enough while in that golden form. She shuddered to think just how powerful he would become when he used this 'ascended form'. Granted, not a single person had seen it yet purely because she had forbidden him from ever using it. Only she had knowledge of it. Serafall even struggled to believe that Gohan could actually get even stronger than he already was.

"Hey!" a voice echoed from the outside. "I'm waiting! Come on!"

Gohan quickly gave Serafall a thumbs up before dashing out of the kitchen. The Leviathan girl sighed as she motioned for Shirone to follow. The two Devil girls made their way outside to see Gohan jump into the air, easily clearing a whole hundred meters, before landing on the lawn, a fair distance away from Kuroka. Serafall summoned two comfortable seats for herself and Shirone to watch. Setting down a few magical wards around them and the two were good to go for this spar.

"Okay, you wanted me, here I am," Gohan chuckled doing a small jog on the spot to get the blood flowing. Kuroka stood completely still, her arms crossed under her large chest. He noted that her power was rapidly expanding, although, she didn't look at all strained from the power she was generating.

"Give me a moment," Kuroka requested as she shifted her stance. Her eyes fluttered closed as her form was covered in a purple glow. Suddenly, a second tail sprouted from her back, twirling and waving about with her first. The look of shock on Gohan's face was evident. The amount of power she had suddenly gained was phenomenal.

Her power had increased almost tenfold!

"Whoa…" he breathed.

"That's better," the black cat-girl exhaled, opening her amber eyes. "If you're curious, we Nekomata get stronger the more tails we have. I just recently managed to achieve my second tail. That made me very dangerous within my previous peerage. I could have easily destroyed our master," Kuroka boasted. Gohan had to give her credit. Her power was far beyond that of the High-Class Devil he had embarrassed. This might be a more interesting fight after all.

The hybrid Saiyan decided to keep the ball rolling, allowing his own power to rush forward and explode around him into a fiery white flame. The sheer force had Kuroka stumbling backward, the environment around the boy being repelled on all angles. Serafall's protective wards around her Mansion and both her and Shirone kicked in, blocking the powerful gusts of winds that Gohan was generating. A brief glance at the younger Nekomata told Serafall all she needed to know. Her eyes were wide, mouth agape and completely speechless.

"Your sister may be strong," Serafall started as Gohan roared, his power increasing almost as much as Kuroka's did. "But she's still no match for my queen," she finished, a hint of pride and arrogance leaking into her voice. The young fighter slipped into a stance, allowing his power to equalize. Kuroka had since managed to regain her balance after having lost it in the sudden explosion of power.

"Okay," Kuroka growled lightly. "Hadn't expected such an explosive display of ki. I guess I'll-" she lost her train of thought when Gohan vanished from sight. Now, normally, any normal person would probably panic after having lost sight of their opponent. However, while Kuroka could not physically see Gohan move, she could still sense him. Her Senjutsu allowed for complete and utter sensory dominance in her area.

She sensed him move behind her.

Swinging around, she painted a few symbols in the air as fast as she could, summoning a powerful magical barrier. Gohan appeared exactly where she had sensed him move to, only to watch as he threw his fist forward, shattering her defense like a sheet of glass. His fist found its way to her stomach.

A force Kuroka couldn't describe properly slammed into her, winding her absolutely.

The black cat-girl found herself airborne as she glided across the lawn. She back-flipped elegantly and managed to land on her feet, both hands clutching her stomach. Coughing and spluttering, she fell to her knees, a feeling of sympathy for her ex-master entering her head. Gohan had hit her much softer than he had with that bastard Devil master. He had hit him so hard it had forced the man to spew blood.

Kuroka was lucky, only having been winded.

At moments like these, she desperately wished she had the durability of a rook. While she was extremely powerful with her Senjutsu and other magical arts, it was only boosted by her mutated bishop piece. The boy- no, her King- had completely broken through her defense like it was nothing. Not a single person had been able to do that, yet here he was, arms crossed and smirking at her injured form. A growl elicited from her throat as she healed the initial damage.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a master of Touki," Kuroka commented rather sourly as she returned to her feet. The casual, fun look in her amber eyes had since vanished after the first blow, replaced only by an intense gaze of concentration. Gohan was only twelve years old and yet he looked like an athletic fighter. There wasn't a shred of fat on the boy. "Guess those muscles aren't just for show."

"So I've been told," Gohan retorted with an amused smirk. "I don't know much about Senjutsu and Chakra. I was only taught how to use my ki. I've trained my body far beyond my limits. I'm actually quite amazed you followed my movements."

"I didn't," Kuroka replied bitterly. "I was able to sense where you moved with my Senjutsu. I can sense every bit of life within the area. I'm not the best at it, but if I wanted to, I could turn the environment against you. My sensory dominance allowed me to track your movements perfectly, but physically, I couldn't keep up."

"You don't seem physically strong either," Gohan quipped, causing the girl to flush angrily. Gohan raised his hands in a surrender motion. "I mean no offense. It's weird. I've only really fought with Serafall. She has the same problem you have. If I can get close, you lose your advantage. You are incredibly powerful, but that's only your energy… or magical output," the half-Saiyan commented as if he were trying to explain it to himself. Kuroka merely sighed.

"I'm a bishop piece, remember?" she stated, crossing her arms over her chest once more. Gohan made an 'O' with his mouth. "We aren't physically strong at all. Our specialty lies in our ability to create incredibly powerful spells. Your fighting style obviously would match more of a rook. You'd probably have more fun sparring with my sister than me," she muttered bitterly. Kuroka was aware after that first hit that this fight wasn't going to end in her favor.

That didn't mean she didn't want to continue though.

"You knew you weren't going to win this spar?"

"After that first hit, you broke through one of my more powerful defense spells like it was nothing. I doubt my strongest spell would fare much better," Kuroka replied thoughtfully. "How in the seven hells did you get so strong? I've spent my life training so I could protect Shirone and in one hit, you've undermined all that effort and you're four years my junior!"

"Get dragged into enough life and death battles in your life and you tend to adapt very quickly to match the strength of others. I've been fighting for as long as I can remember. I learned never to give up, no matter how much the odds are against me," Gohan smiled nostalgically as he remembered the way his father fought. Aside from the time he gave up against Cell, but that was more of a tactical decision than anything else. "So don't just give up, Kuroka! If you think so negatively, you'll never win!"

"I'm a realist, sweetie," Kuroka smirked back at him. "Your incomprehensible speed… your strength…" she glanced over at Serafall who just waved from her seat, a knowing smile on her face. "No wonder you're the Leviathan's queen. I just wanted to see what kind of power my new King was packing. I have to say, I'm glad Shirone and I ended up in your peerage."

"It sounds like you're giving up," Gohan sounded rather disappointed. "Come on, don't give up now. I want to see what else you've got! I haven't really had the chance to see what Senjutsu is like in action yet! I've only read about it in books."

"I'm not throwing in the towel yet!" Kuroka retorted hotly. "I'm aware I'll lose, but that doesn't mean I don't want to try."

"Well?" Gohan goaded, slipping into another stance. "Show me what you got!"

"Okay, Gohan," Kuroka thought as she mustered all the power she could. Amplifying her power with her demonic magic, Senjutsu, and Touki, the ground cracked beneath her as an ominous purple aura surrounded her. The energy Gohan was sensing was all over the place. It was astonishing how different it was fighting these people as opposed to the enemies he's fought back in his universe. "I'm coming at you with everything I have! Let's just hope I can handle this intake of Senjutsu…"

The black cat-girl's features became more feral and defined, her previous frown turning into a scowl as she wrestled to control her sanity. Senjutsu was a double-edged sword. The more she boosted her own power with it, the faster she was losing control over her mind.

The young warrior slipped into a defensive stance, eager to see what she would pull out of the bag. Serafall had a vast magical arsenal, but her specialty was elemental magic, specifically ice-based spells. He had trained against her for quite some time now so this fight with Kuroka was important for him to learn how to fight against techniques and magic he didn't quite understand yet. Judging from the brief encounter he had with her before, he could already tell she had a whole different set of spells to use. Come to think of it, it actually had Gohan excited.

Just like before, Kuroka raised a hand and started painting symbols in the air before her. Each kanji glowed a darkish purple as she created more as fast as she could. The older Nekoshou realized Gohan wasn't making any offensive moves, coming to the conclusion that he was allowing her the opportunity to attack first. With a growl, she steadied herself, determined not to waste this chance.

She summoned a dense magical fog with her Senjutsu, hoping it would slow down Gohan's perception enough for her to get in a few attacks. Kuroka knew she had to pull out all of her tricks if she was even going to land a blow, let alone do enough damage to harm him. The fog covered the area, the light purple cloud surrounding both Kuroka and Gohan, the latter being affected by the effects.

"If I can get close enough to attack, I can disrupt his flow of ki. Given how much he has, the blocks I put in place will be destroyed almost instantly. I just need a single moment to get in some attacks," Kuroka thought as she flashed throughout the fog. With her speed at maximum output, she could sense Gohan standing absolutely still as she circled him like a predator. With her Senjutsu enhanced senses, she could almost feel Gohan. His breathing was calm and his body still. It threw her off just how tranquil his state of being was.

Regardless, she steeled her nerves and pushed the attack.

Closing in for a strike, she surrounded her hand in demonic energy, ready to strike.

Swiping, she hit nothing but air. Kuroka was left speechless as Gohan's form shimmered in front of her, like some kind of faulty connection of a television.

A palm connected with her side, throwing her completely off balance. Skidding to her right, the cat-girl went for a counter-attack where Gohan's form appeared. Kuroka hadn't even realized that a furious look crossed her face.

"His senses are supposed to be slowed!" she thought angrily. She attacked again, every limb coated in Senjutsu and demonic energy for maximum damage. However, each attack she tried to make was dodged effortlessly. Deciding to make the smarter choice, she retreated to a safe distance and summoned a number of magical circles. Each one glowed with an incredible amount of power as a volley of energy erupted from each one, bombarding Gohan's position.

She halted the moment Gohan's presence vanished from the cloud of smoke. She traced his energy to the spot behind her. He stood there, without a single scratch on him. Kuroka took a shaky step back. This kid was no joke.

"Okay, show off," the cat-girl growled. "Is my fog just not affecting you? What's the deal here? Your senses are supposed to be slowed down!"

"It's doing something," Gohan admitted looking around curiously. "Although it's not really noticeable. I just feel a bit sleepy is all."

"That's just insulting," Kuroka thought furiously. Thrusting out both hands, she painted more symbols in the air. A translucent purple box surrounded the half-Saiyan. He examined it with a curious look, even placing a hand on the inside wall. It was a box completely made out of magic. With a quick swipe of her hand, she filled the box with a poisonous mist, causing the boy to hold his breath. She felt his power surge, an obvious attempt to break out. "Now's my chance!"

She shot forward the moment Gohan exploded out of the box and attacked him. His guard was down, his attention having been focused on getting out of the magical prison. Slamming one of her fists into his torso, she heard him cough as he skidded back a few meters. Kuroka wasn't about to let this opportunity slide! She had landed a hit and had managed to successfully disrupt the flow of his ki! He'd be confused! Now was the time to strike.

She shot forward as Gohan stumbled around for a second, confusion on his face.

"Hang on-" he tried to say before Kuroka appeared behind him and kicked him forward. She drove a hand forward and shot a few blasts at him, all connecting with a smoky explosion. A smirk crossed her face as she flashed straight towards him, utilizing her amateur skills in spatial manipulation. Delivering another combo to the boy, she tossed him across the battlefield much to his dismay. The cat-girl chased after him with a sweet look of victory on her face.

Gohan managed to recover, a frown crossing his face as he steadied himself while he was on his knees. He watched Kuroka close the distance quickly enough to get his heart racing. However, the girl had gotten cocky. His fast and sudden recovery allowed him to dodge, despite his ki being disrupted. The look on her face morphed to one of shock when the half-Saiyan angled his body away from her attack.

Grabbing her arm, he spun her around and tossed her away. Assuming a stance, he growled as he wrestled control of his energy back. Roaring, a white flame covered his body, the disruption fizzling away, as if whatever was blocking his control had been annihilated inside his body. It was a good thing he was powerful enough just to break whatever had taken a hold of his power.

"No!" Kuroka cried as she recovered, only to see Gohan's energy return. "That was my one chance to win!" she slammed the ground in frustration. Gohan flexed his hands, eyeing them curiously. He wasn't hurt at all, despite the attacks he withstood from his opponent. She wasn't really strong enough to do any kind of serious damage to him with his guard up. However, she had surprised him a good deal, as he had expected.

Magic really was hard to anticipate and defend against.

"How weird," Gohan murmured as he looked at his bishop. "What did you do?"

Kuroka gave a huff as she sat on her backside and crossed her arms. Serafall and Shirone came up behind her, the former looking very impressed while the latter looked sympathetic towards her sister. Shirone wasn't used to seeing Kuroka lose so badly before. Every opponent she came up against she either crushed or fought hard to defeat. Not once had she seen her older sister concede or end up defeated in a fight until now.

"Phew! What a show!" Serafall exclaimed happily, giving the older Nekoshou a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You've got quite the range of talents there, Kurokie," the Leviathan giggled. The defeated girl only glared at the Devil Queen in annoyance, the nickname not doing anything to quell the frustration that had built inside of her, despite knowing that she would have lost the fight from the beginning anyway. Maybe it was the glimmer of hope she had gained that made her angry.

"It's okay," Shirone wrapped her arms around Kuroka, instantly squashing the negative emotions Kuroka had inside of her. "You're still the best big sister."

"Awww!" Serafall cooed. Inside her mind, she was daydreaming that it was her and Sona instead of Shirone and Kuroka. Oh! How she envied their relationship! Why couldn't Sona be more affectionate like that!? It wasn't fair!

"Thanks, Shi," the older sister turned and gave the girl a soft head pat. The two shared warm smiles as Gohan approached. Noticing this, Kuroka stood up to face him, a heavy sigh escaping her. "Honestly, I thought I had you there. You recover way too fast."

"Not really, you just got sloppy," Gohan stated in a matter of fact tone. Kuroka flushed in annoyance. She was getting ready to blast him verbally before he held up his hands in a surrender motion. "Ah-! I mean well, yeah, but I guess I've been learning to fight without relying on my power so much. My prowess got me out of that situation. Speaking of… what exactly did you do to me? I had to take a few moments to regain control of my energy."

"Senjutsu," Kuroka retorted simply. "It's a tough concept to explain. I'm no master at it yet, but I'm able to control ki, both in and around me. If I was much better at it, I could have disrupted the flow of your energy from a distance. I'm not that good, so I had to get close and actually hit you to do it," she explained. However, despite verbalizing it, there was a question that actually formed in her head. "Though, it shouldn't normally work on someone as powerful as you are. I am very… obviously weaker than you," she strained to say, the statement hurting her pride somewhat. "How did I manage to affect you?"

"That's an easy one," Serafall cut in with a smug look on her face. "Gohan lowered his power. He was probably going easy on you. With his power somewhat closer to yours, your Senjutsu was able to properly block and disrupt the flow of his ki!"

"Meaning," Gohan started. "It wouldn't have worked if I was fighting at a higher level."

"I need to get stronger," Kuroka deadpanned. She released a heavy sigh and ran a hand through her hair. "Damn… and here I thought I was already on track to becoming one of the strongest devils around."

"Eh, don't beat yourself up about it," Serafall laughed. "You'll have plenty of opportunities around here! This is your new home after all."

Home.

Kuroka and Shirone both mellowed at that word. It hadn't been one they used for a very long time. Finally, it seems it had meaning once more.

=/=

* * *

=/=

"Kuoh?"

The name didn't sound familiar at all, to the half-Saiyan, which was why he prompted the question. Rias, Akeno, and Sona had come knocking at his bedroom door just moments prior. The only people that occupied the room were Kuroka, Shirone, and himself. In walked the three teenage girls, all dressed in fancy school clothing. Just from the design, Gohan could tell it was a prestigious school. Rias and Sona probably wouldn't have settled for anything less.

The uniform was eye-catching, to say the least. A white long-sleeved, button-down shirt with vertical linings with a nice black shoulder cape to top it off. A black stylish button-down corset that impressively hid the magenta vertical lined skirt beneath it. Rias and Akeno looked like they were wearing a size down, considering how tight their uniforms were around the chest area. It wasn't like he wasn't going to notice that deal.

Going through puberty, along with spending the majority of his time around females made it hard not to notice these things. Kuroka and Serafall even went the extra mile to point it out sometimes and tease him about it. Oh well, it wasn't like it bothered him that much anyway.

"Yep!" Rias responded cheerfully, giving him a twirl so he could see every angle. Akeno stifled a giggle while Sona merely rolled her eyes at the dramatic display. "Pretty cool huh? Since we're fifteen now, we are eligible for Kuoh Academy. We just finished our second week there. Japan is such an amazing place!"

"Yeah, I remember you telling me about how much you wanted to go to school there," Gohan recalled a conversation he had with Rias a few months ago. The details were hazy at best, but she had briefly expressed her desire to go to the human world and visit Japan. She did take a trip there with Akeno and Kiba, then upon returning decided she wanted to conduct her schooling there. "So what's it like? I've never been to a public school or any… really," he chuckled lightly.

"There are a lot of interesting people, that's for sure," Sona commented while Akeno continued to giggle.

"Plenty of targets for my amusement," the sadist joked. Rias and Sona completely ignored her remark, as did everyone else in the room. Akeno had taken her sadism to new levels as the years went by. Although, the shock factor of her saying such lewd and ghastly things at times had completely worn off and become normal. Even Gohan was desensitized to her occasional vulgar implications and innuendos.

"Man," Gohan replied rather dejectedly. "Sounds like a blast! Certainly beats being cooped up in here. Going to school sounds more interesting than all the stuff I'm doing. Grayfia just keeps sending me more stuff to read!"

"We've been told you are preparing for the High-Class Exam. Lord Sirzechs has said you'd be ready to undertake it within the next year or two," Sona replied, causally pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. "Quite frankly I'm astounded you've made so much progress. I've never heard of a reincarnated devil going from a Low-Class to a High-Class in less than a decade. Normally it takes a century or two."

"He's quite talented," Akeno praised, a slight smirk on her face. Then she blushed and cupped her face in a lewd manner. "I don't think Gohan has ever disappointed us."

"Why do you always have to make it sound like there are sexual undertones to everything you say, Akeno?" Gohan sighed, causing the girl to laugh.

"Life's more amusing when you insert sexual undertones."

"I would encourage you to come to school with us when you turn fifteen, but our school is female-only," Rias said changing the subject. A dejected look spread across her face at the realization that she probably wouldn't be able to go to school with Gohan. "Hm, that's disappointing. Perhaps… what would you say to cross-dressing? My new Bishop loves it!"

"No thanks," Gohan replied flatly. Rias' shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Aw."

"He wouldn't have to anyway," Sona interjected, a scowl on her face. "There's been talk amongst the staff to transition it to a co-ed school. Although, if they go through with it, Gohan wouldn't be able to attend until our third year. Those sorts of processes take time to finalize."

"My mom always wanted me to go to school," Gohan wondered aloud, a hand on his chin in thought. Granted it was a few years away if what Sona said was true, what could be the harm? It would certainly get him out of the Underworld and out of this house. A brief glance at Kuroka and Shirone had his smile curving downward a little bit. Kuroka would be a little too old to go to school by the time he was fifteen and Shirone would be a year too young. "Hey Rias, do you think-"

"HEY! STOP STANDING IN THE FIRE! YOU'LL WIPE THE RAID!"

Gohan audibly sighed as the attention in the room drifted to the older Nekoshou. She seemed pretty riled up if her tone was anything to go by, and her ire was directly intensely at the screen in front of her.

"What's she doing?" Sona's brow curved in slight horror. Gohan sighed as all their attention turned to the stationary Nekoshou.

She was sitting at a desk with about four computer monitors in front of her and neon glowing computer equipment. There was a small camera mounted on the far left monitor while a high-quality microphone was stationed neatly to her right. The black-haired cat-girl also had a pair of expensive headphones over her head, making her actual cat ears look artificial and fake. Perhaps that was all part of her plan.

"Serafall had a business trip to Japan in Kyoto to visit the Youkai faction a couple of months ago. She took Shirone and Kuroka to meet them and while they were there they did a bit of shopping. They picked up a few hobbies while they were there," Gohan gestured to Shirone who was sitting on the couch with a lap-table. Spread across it was multitudes of drawing equipment. Akeno and Sona strolled over and peered over the younger girl's shoulder, a deep blush spreading across their faces at the contents of Shirone's drawings.

"H-How lewd!" Sona gasped in horror.

"Oh my…" Akeno's voice was husky and low.

Shirone turned with a deadpan look on her features.

"Don't pretend you guys aren't a bunch of perverts. You think Sis' and I don't notice? We see the way you look at Gohan," the twelve-year-old stated with a smug expression. It had been so brutal and to the point that Akeno and Sona were rendered speechless for a few moments. After a couple more seconds of complete embarrassment, Sona retreated from the room, running to find her sister to inform her of the lewd machinations of the youngest member of the Leviathan family.

Akeno, on the other hand, shrugged innocently.

"Oh well, I've never tried to hide it. He is very handsome."

"At least you're honest," and with that, Shirone went back to drawing. Rias and Gohan witnessed the situation with abject frowns. Gohan knew that Rias had some kind of attraction to him. Be it romantic or simply admiration, she was clearly expressive and very wanting when she was around him. However, when it came to Akeno, the girl was so openly and unapologetically honest with her feelings.

A few months ago, Akeno had admitted freely in a casual conversation that she had a crush on him.

Despite that, it didn't affect their relationship at all. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. The girl had an almost ingenious facade. Behind all that sadism and joking attitude, there was a vulnerable person that he really didn't want to hurt. He never returned her feelings on the basis that he actually had no idea how to respond to it. Akeno was his friend and he wasn't sure if it went anywhere beyond that.

Sona, on the other hand, was a different matter entirely. He could never get a read on her true feelings. She left very little moments open where she wasn't emotionally fortified. She had an intelligent head on her shoulders and was overly formal with everyone around her, even her older sister who hated it immensely but never outwardly showed it. To hear that Sona might be possibly crushing on him slightly brought down his mood.

"Can't I have some kind of normal relationship with these girls?"

"So Shirone draws… questionable art. What does Kuroka do?" Rias asked, still slightly confused.

"Thanks for the three-month sub cats4lyf!" Kuroka giggled happily. Gohan chuckled lightly as he sheepishly scratched the back of his head. Rias' mouth fell agape when she heard those words come out of the older Nekomata's mouth.

"She's a streamer!?" Rias whispered in a state of shock.

"Is that what it is?" he replied. "She never really told me what it was. I mean, there's no harm in it right?"

"Why is all her equipment in your room?" Rias demanded hotly.

"She sleeps in here on the extendable couch. Turns out Shirone and Kuroka don't really like sleeping in rooms that aren't mine."

"They aren't doing anything… uh… lewd to you, right?"

"No. I'd know if they did. Serafall made it very clear. No activities of that nature are permitted to happen within the walls of this house."

Rias exhaled in relief. The crimson beauty strolled over and sat down on his bed, shuffling over towards him and crossing her legs. She got very close to him while he was lying on his stomach, slowly making his way through the pile of books that Grayfia had sent his way. He noted the blush that started to spread across her face during the silence between them. After a few moments, she started playing with her hands, as if she were trying to convince herself silently to start talking about a topic she knew she wasn't really supposed to talk about.

"Can… I talk to you about something?" she asked quietly. The tone of her voice was flooded with uncertainty and insecurity. Gohan had a feeling this was going to be a private conversation. Reaching over to the side of his bed, he summoned some of his demonic energy and placed three silencing runes on each side, effectively blocking out all sound around them. A rather convenient spell he had come up with, but in order to cope with Kuroka's constant late-night gaming sessions, he needed to come up with something to help him sleep. "Thanks."

"I assumed you wanted this to be a private conversation, given your tone."

"I do. It's…" she hesitated, giving Gohan a moment to guess.

"Is this about you wanting to be my queen? I already told you before, I'd think about it. Besides, I'm not even a High-Class Devil yet. I don't have any pieces. Even if I did, I don't think I'd want-"

"It's not about that!" Rias interrupted him suddenly. She took a breath and steadied herself. "At least, not entirely. As much as I want to be your queen, there is a more urgent problem on my mind," she explained nervously. There was a dejected look in her eye, something he had come to take notice of over the last year. If it wasn't her desire to become his queen, then it was obviously her other issue, one concerning a certain noble devil called Riser Phenex.

"Your arranged marriage?"

Rias could only nod in response.

Admittedly, Gohan wasn't all that happy with the situation Rias had been placed in. The idea of arranged marriages was an abhorrent concept in his mind. Chi-Chi had constantly reminisced aloud multiple times in the past how romantic her marriage had been with Goku. It had brought his mother such happiness to marry the man she had chosen, despite the confused look on his father's face in the wedding photos. Gohan knew his parents loved each other, that much was obvious to him. However, the idea that something like that could be arranged between the two parties without the consent of one of them was disgusting.

It was even more horrible when he had learned that it was Sirzechs and Rias' own father that had done it.

As much as he detested the idea of it all, Serafall warned him not to get involved. In reality, it had nothing to do with him and this was all part of traditions that had been followed and carried out throughout Devil-kind for millennia. Rias hated it, no doubt about it. Ever since Gohan had learned of it, Rias' attitude had changed drastically. She became rebellious and distrustful towards her own family. It was around the time she had become pushier to become his queen.

Becoming a part of his peerage would be an effective way to escape her responsibilities and loveless marriage. Gohan on some level, couldn't blame her at all. He'd hate to be stuck in that situation too. However, he couldn't in his right mind accept that kind of bound with her. When he eventually goes home, she'd have to stay here. As far as he was concerned, there probably wasn't going to be a way to return here.

He could be wrong, but he didn't want to risk-taking that chance.

"Are you so against me being your Queen?" Rias asked softly. There was a vulnerable look in her eyes as if she were almost pleading for him to speak the words that would set her free from her eventual torment. "We could do it right now, I could-" she stopped herself when she realized that the only reason Kuroka and Shirone were bound to Gohan was a forfeit of rights. The boy she loved didn't actually have any pieces. "Nevermind."

"Rias… I…" he trailed off, turning his head to gaze at Kuroka and Shirone who were casually going about their business. Akeno was still lightly harassing Shirone about her lewd artwork and from the looks of it, the older Nekomata was still yelling at her computer screen. When he eventually went home, he was skeptical as to what would happen with the two Nekoshou. Other than this place, they had no home or family to tie them here. Gohan was their only constant, as well as Serafall. That ultimately lead to the thought that they'd go with him.

Kuroka and Shirone had nothing to really tie them down here. Rias, on the other hand, had a family, a future, and a name to uphold.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Gohan managed to find his voice. "Trying to escape your arranged marriage through me seems a bit desperate. Are you sure there's no other way? I want to help you, but I don't even have any pieces yet. Even if I wanted to have a peerage, I can't help you escape that right now."

If there was one way to describe Rias' features after that, it would be crushed. Gohan forced himself not to cringe at his own inability to help her. This was a fight he wasn't capable of winning. He wasn't even sure if getting involved would be a good idea. This was family and Underworld politics, an area he still wasn't that well-versed on despite having studied and read about it since he got here. There were thousands of years of tradition and history to cover. It was going to take a while to really get through it all, and even then, there was no guarantee he'd remember everything.

"What should I do then!?" Rias cried desperately. "I don't even like Riser! I can't imagine living my life in some kind of loveless marriage. I want to choose who I spend the next thousand years with. It's not fair!"

It really wasn't.

All Gohan could do for his friend was gaze at her sympathetically as she burst into tears. It was almost like he could see the walls around her closing in. It was horrible to watch. There must be something he could do.

"I have to do something," Rias croaked through her emotional state. "I refuse to have my life dictated for me. I-I can't live like that."

"I'll help in any way I can, Rias. You're my friend. I don't want to see you like this," Gohan reassured her. She wiped away her tears, having noticed that Akeno had seen her crying. Shirone and the fallen angel hybrid were watching from a distance, sharing a quiet conversation while Kuroka was flipping out over her video game. The Gremory Heir and her savior shared a moment of silence as they each tried to think of a way to get her out of this situation.

Then suddenly, it was as if a light appeared above Rias' head. Her features brightened as she hopped off his bed, dispelling the suppression wards Gohan had put up. A determined smile erupted across her face.

"I got it!"

Before he even had the chance to question her, she dashed out of the room and teleported away, leaving the occupants of the room speechless, sans Kuroka who didn't even notice.

"Let me guess, her marriage?" Akeno queried. Gohan nodded grimly.

"Yeah, though she seemed to have something figured out."

Akeno shrugged.

"Well, she is quite bright when she puts her mind to it. Maybe she's figured out a way to get out of it?"

Gohan shifted uncomfortably, wishing he knew what Rias had suddenly thought of. He was happy that she wasn't moping anymore, but something about that smile of hers really clicked with him. She had something planned, and for some reason… he knew it was going to involve him.

"Let's hope that's the case."

=/=

* * *

=/=

Gohan stifled a yawn as he blinked the sleep out of his eyes.

It had not been long since Rias confided in him about the situation concerning her arranged marriage. He found himself worried about her, wondering and brainstorming ways on how he could help. She had cut that conversation short when an idea had struck her and ran out of the room. He hadn't seen her for about two weeks since then. It became very clear she was busy doing something important.

Her situation had been bothering him for over a week, enough to the point where he'd lie awake some nights just thinking how he could help her. However, it was just like Serafall had told him many times before. This was a problem that couldn't be resolved with strength— his strength specifically. This was Rias' problem and only she could figure out a way to fix it. That didn't stop him from feeling like he was failing her as a friend. There had to be something he could do… right?

Sometimes he hated the underworld's politics. It was no different than a deathmatch, the only difference being it was fought with words instead of your fists.

Despite all that was plaguing his adolescent mind on this particular morning, he still pushed himself from his mattress into a sitting position. For the first time in a while, he wasn't feeling like himself. A little under the weather perhaps. As far as Gohan was aware, devil's did not get the traditional sicknesses that humans got. Even still, he felt different. His body felt different.

A quick glance around the room revealed Shirone still fast asleep on her bed, while Kuroka was very much awake, reading some comic she had found to be rather interesting while lying comfortably on the couch.

"Morning," Gohan yawned again. "Sleep well?"

"You could say that," Kuroka replied slyly, avoiding his gaze completely.

One of Gohan's eyebrows curved at that response. He and his two Nekoshou companions hadn't been together long, but the young half-saiyan had started to get to know them pretty well, enough to even tell when one of them was up to something. Kuroka was especially easy to read. The playful smirk, the way she sat, and her wandering eyes. Shirone was far more subtle. The younger Nekoshou typically tended to gain a look of guilt and always averted his or Serafall's gaze.

Kuroka was far more unapologetic with her mischievous side.

With a grumble of his stomach, Gohan yawned one last time before wiping the sleep out of his eyes and giving his cheeks a nice sharp slap to wake himself up. He threw off the covers and went to stand up. He went to make his way towards the door and head to the kitchen, instead he ended up face planting into the carpet.

Gohan blinked incredulously at his clumsiness. Then, a soft yawn and shuffling of sheets signaled that Shirone had woken up at the loud tumble. The snap of a book closing drew their attention to Kuroka, as the older cat-girl moved to the end of the couch, resting her head in her hands as she leered at Gohan's prone form.

"It's unlike you to be so uncoordinated, Master," she said with a playful smirk.

"G-Gohan…" Shirone pointed to his back, confusion clear on her face. "Y-You have a…" she trailed off. Gohan sat up again and turned his head to face his backside. His eyes almost popped out of their sockets when he saw a very familiar brown appendage protruding from his back.

"M-MY TAIL!" he exclaimed in shock. He shot to his feet, immediately feeling the loss of balance for being without his tail for so long. He remembered a long time ago from when he was still a young child he used to do all kinds of things with it until Piccolo removed it from him during his training.

He also remembered the time during his fight against the invading Saiyans, Vegeta, and Nappa. He had somehow tapped into the infallible power.

A Saiyan's tail was a great source of their power. Their true power according to Vegeta. The older Saiyan on occasion still lamented missing the key trait of their heritage. Gohan never thought much of it, but clearly he and his father didn't share the same sentiments as the Saiyan prince.

Now it was back, somehow. Had it just regrown overnight? He thought he'd never get it back again! No wonder his balance was so off!

A few seconds of panicked examination had him rounding on Kuroka, the only person who lacked the obvious shock in the room. Her smug grin didn't go unnoticed by the young Saiyan. If it wasn't obvious to anyone in the room, Kuroka very clearly had something to do with the impromptu return of his tail.

"You're welcome by the way," Kuroka said before Gohan even had the chance to open his mouth.

"You brought back my tail…? How?" Gohan asked, his mind still whirling at a million miles an hour. The amputated appendage remained completely unhealable, resistant to even senzu beans and Dende's healing. What had Kuroka done to bring it back? He knew this strange universe had some of the most bizarre powers he had seen, but whatever his bishop had done was beyond him.

"I used my Senjutsu to heal you," Kuroka explained, then her face dropped as she pouted. "You don't sound very thankful. I thought you'd be happy."

Truthfully, he wasn't sure if he should be thankful. According to all his friends back home, the tail proved to be problematic on far too many occasions. The uncontrollable Great Ape form was a force of nature, filled with rage with no proper direction. Friends become foes and the primal state was difficult to deal with, not to mention its destructive capabilities.

"I don't really know what to think," Gohan grimaced as he turned one more time to give his tail a look. The wavy appendage could be a source of many issues down the line now. He could probably ask Serafall or someone skilled enough to remove it should it cause too much trouble, but that would be incredibly painful, not to mention an essential part of him loathed the idea. "My tail has been pretty dangerous in the past. I don't exactly know how to control it."

"What?" Kuroka blurted out, her smug grin now gone, replaced with confusion. "How is it…? What does that even mean? All Nekomata get stronger the more tails they—" she paused for a moment as Gohan gave her a pointed look. "Right… Saiyan. Not Nekomata. Not my fault your stupid tail looks like a cat's tail."

"It's a monkey's tail, Sis," Shirone corrected. Kuroka groaned.

"I know—I know! I just thought since Gohan doesn't talk about it, that he was ashamed of it being missing… I know I would be pretty salty if my tails got cut off," the older sibling crossed her arms over her bountiful chest and huffed.

Gohan allowed himself to sigh as he sat back down, crossing his legs in the process. He cupped his chin with a hand as he descended into thought. Was it wise to explain the dangers around his tail to them? Should he even be worried? Serafall had told him there were a day and night cycle in the underworld with an artificial sun and moon. Should he be at all worried about the moon?

Even then, if he were to visit the human world any time soon, that was bound to have a moon. It only seemed right that they knew of the dangers and what to expect should things go wrong. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by knocking at the door.

"Wakey wakey~!" Serafall stepped in, clad in her magical girl outfit, along with an apron saying 'Don't feel up the cute magical chef'. "It's time to get up and… and…" she trailed off when she saw the tail waving happily on Gohan's backside. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! IT'S SO CUTE!"

Gohan failed to get out of the way in time as his King practically threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around him in the process. Tackling him to the ground, her mischievous hands immediately went to his tail.

"H-Hey! Relax Serafall! Can you just— OW!" Gohan reacted and smacked the Leviathan's bare hands away from his sensitive tail. It had sent shock waves of pain up his spine, but he had temporarily forgotten just how sensitive it was to have a tail. All it took was a firm grasp on the tail to render his overbearing strength moot. Just another weakness to cover for the future. He'd have to learn how to overcome that if he planned on keeping the appendage around.

Serafall pouted at having her hands smacked away by her precious Queen.

"Aw come on! At least let me touch it."

"No! Hands to yourself!" Gohan snapped in annoyance. Seriously… this morning was turning out to be a real drag. All he was trying to do was get his thoughts in order. So far, that task was proving to be far more difficult than it normally was.

"Spoilsport," she mumbled. "So how exactly did it regrow?" she asked, suddenly changing the subject. The way Serafall was able to switch how she was feeling on a dime, often gave Gohan pause. He guessed after you've been alive for as long as she has, you learned to ignore the little nuisances and look at the more positive side of life.

"You knew?" Gohan replied, somewhat shocked. Serafall shrugged innocently.

"I've had to dress you on the rare occasion where you've trained so hard you've passed out. That tiny little stump on your backside had to be something."

Gohan sighed once again, feeling defeated at her reasoning.

Of course, she'd know.

There wasn't much about him that Serafall didn't know. He had told her most of his past and what he had been through. He had neglected a few minor details like the tail, but she was intelligent enough to put the pieces together. The only thing she still had yet to see personally was his ascended Super Saiyan form.

He still hadn't used it since he got here. Serafall said he'd need an entire dimension to himself if he was going to train to master that form and she didn't want to bother Ajuka with something like that right now. She promised that once he had made High-class that he could request something like that.

"Well, if you must know," Gohan directed his attention towards Kuroka, giving her another pointed glare. "Kuroka used some kind of magic on me when I was asleep."

"Oh~?" Serafall hummed suggestively as she turned and looked at the older cat-girl. "Did she now? I guess a kitty needs to be punished."

"Hey," Kuroka sat up, goosebumps already forming on her skin. "Whoa now! It's not what you think! Nothing lewd happened!"

"You used Bouchujutsu, didn't you!?" Serafall accused, pointing at the girl for extra measure. Something in Serafall's words caused Kuroka to get heated if the massive red blush across her face wasn't any indicator. If Gohan had to guess, it was the only word she had used that he had no understanding of.

"Bouchujutsu…?" Gohan mumbled, scratching his head. "Whats—"

"I DID NOT!" Kuroka denied, completely interrupting him. "HE'S THIRTEEN! I JUST…" Kuroka trailed off, mumbling to herself. Serafall leaned forward, radiating with power, a visible blue outline becoming visible around her body as she started giggling sinisterly. Serafall could be very intimidating sometimes.

"Speak up, Kurokie."

"I JUST SPOONED HIM, ALRIGHT!?"

The room was thrown into silence. Gohan gave Kuroka a strange look while Serafall and Shirone gave her unconvinced stares. It took a few moments of silence for the older cat-girl to fold under all the attention, but eventually, she just pouted and shrunk back into the couch, mumbling a few inaudible words as she avoided Serafall's wrath.

"Please ask permission before you resort to sneaking into my bed in the future," Gohan deadpanned.

"All we need is permission?" Shirone perked up at his words before the half-Saiyan groaned, knowing very clearly that he completely walked into that one.

"Preferably, stay in your own bed," Gohan rolled his eyes, already exhausted with this conversation. "Still though, I'm not sure how I feel about having my tail back. I hope it doesn't cause any problems."

"What do you mean?" Serafall retorted. The half-Saiyan grimaced as he tried to think of a way to explain the other legendary Saiyan transformation, one that fell out of use when his father discovered Super Saiyan. While Super Saiyan was the superior transformation, Gohan couldn't help but think if there was something deeper to the Great Ape transformation.

Vegeta had boasted on many occasions that he had managed to tame the wild power of the Great Ape. If he could do it, then why couldn't Gohan?

"Said it was dangerous or somethin'," Kuroka said offhandedly, picking up her comic again. Her mood was clearly ruined.

"Dangerous how?" Serafall asked, betraying a look of curiosity.

"Well, it allows me to transform if I stare at the full moon."

Silence permeated the room, then suddenly Serafall and Kuroka both simultaneously burst into a fit of laughter. Both girls were desperately holding their sides, struggling to repress the giggles that were bubbling out of them like an overflowing cup. Kuroka was wiping away tears of laughter while Shirone had brought a pillow up to her mouth to muffle her own laughter.

"What!? Do you turn into a wear-monkey or something?" Kuroka wheezed out.

"Uh, yeah… I guess."

Kuroka's laughing intensified as she quite literally fell off the couch. Serafall had toppled over, rolling around on the floor. The image stuck in their minds of a monkey around the size of Gohan, running around swinging from trees and throwing bananas at his enemies.

"Guys I'm serious! This is a big deal!"

"Seven hells, you can't be serious," Kuroka laughed. "I gotta see this."

Gohan suppressed another groan as he waited patiently for all the girls to get their laughter out of their systems. They didn't know how dangerous it was to face off against the Saiyan's Great Ape form. He didn't blame them for their ignorance. They hadn't seen the horror that Vegeta had inflicted upon himself, Krillin, and his father. Gohan had been so young at the time, he couldn't remember every moment of the fight, but if there was one thing he remembered above all else, it was the emotions that stayed with him. Anger, crippling fear, terror. It was the only time where Vegeta had ever truly been a horrifying opponent.

Then they had faced Freeza, and the horror he had felt towards the Saiyan prince instantly became overshadowed by the ruthless galactic tyrant.

Surprisingly enough, it just so happened to be Shirone that came around first, seeing the serious look of concern on Gohan's face. She managed to quash her laughter enough to put the pillow down and walk over to him. She sat down in front of him and with a look of concern on her face.

"How dangerous… is this form?" she asked calmly. Gohan ran a hand through his thick hair that hadn't changed since his fight with Cell. Serafall had taken it upon herself to cut his hair and since she liked this style, she always made it look the same as it did when he fell into her arms that day. Gohan also noted the way Shirone's cat-ears twitched when he seemed aggravated. It was clear the girl didn't like to see him so down.

"In my experience, it's brought nothing but pain and suffering to those I care about," he answered honestly. Kuroka and Serafall had since stopped laughing, immediately feeling guilty when the truth of Gohan's words hit them. Kuroka likened it to going too far in her Senjutsu training. Take it too far and you lose your mind to blood lust and hate.

It required intense meditation in order to withstand the hate and misery that she absorbed.

"You can't control it?" Serafall asked, the concern now seeping into her features. Gohan only nodded in response.

"I don't know how to. One of my— well…" Gohan trailed off. He wasn't sure if Vegeta counted as a friend. "I know of someone that can control it, but I don't know where he is anymore," Gohan said, shooting Serafall a knowing look. She immediately understood and didn't push any further. Kuroka gained a thoughtful look that Gohan caught onto.

"Are you conscious while transformed? Are you aware of your surroundings?" she asked. Gohan shook his head.

"I haven't transformed into that form since I was a kid. I couldn't have been older than maybe four or five the last time it happened. I don't remember the specifics."

"Why don't you try again?" Kuroka asked, stunning the boy. She shrugged at his response. "If you said that some other guy managed to control it, surely you can do it as well. We'll help," she finished with a supportive smile. "Besides, I've been meaning to get in a workout. Been stuck inside for like a week," she laughed, gesturing to her computer.

"I could use a break from all the paperwork…" Serafall mumbled to herself.

"Guys I really don't think that's a good idea," Gohan said, worried that the outcome of this conversation might lead them to see the monstrous transformation. "I'd be completely out of control! I could hurt one of you."

"Aw, aren't you sweet," Kuroka cooed. "We'll be fine. Besides, we got a Devil King to help us. How hard can it be to handle?"

Serafall did her best not to sound awkward when she laughed at the comment.

Few devils in the Underworld actually knew that if Gohan went all out, she'd get totally rolled with no contest. Gohan's raw strength was far too much to handle, even with all of her magic. Despite being the strongest female devil in all of existence, the only real person that could potentially match Gohan would probably be Sirzechs.

Although, that was just her imagination. She had no real clue how strong his ascended form was, but if his Super Saiyan form was anything to go by, she didn't exactly want to be on the receiving end of it. Sirzechs was an absolute nightmare to fight against. No sane person would dare challenge the current Devil King.

Grayfia Lucifer, formerly Lucifuge, his current wife, had been one of the few people to actually fight Sirzechs towards the end of the Great War. They had fought, and she had lost badly. However, it had been that fight where she had fallen in love with the man. It was a topic that the Devil King's wife looked back on fondly, instead of bitterly. However, even she had to admit.

Sirzechs true power was beyond frightening.

"Are you okay with this, Gohan?" Serafall asked suddenly. Her Queen turned to her with a look of uncertainty on his face. "If you're not comfortable with it, I'm sure we can find a way to stop the transformation."

"No," Gohan said easily. "Thinking on it, this might be a good opportunity to train a part of me I wasn't able to before. My only concern is my mental state. There's no telling who I could hurt if I get out of control."

"If it worries you so badly, I could invite Grayfia to help with the training," Serafall suggested. Grayfia was almost as strong as she was.

Gohan thought for a moment on the idea. It wouldn't be the first time he had done some light training with Grayfia. She was pretty strong in her own right, but the training sessions had never really involved her being an opponent. She was more a demonstration teacher if anything. He only got to see the surface levels of her power when she was showing him how to perform certain magical spells.

"I would be more comfortable with this if you and Grayfia were there to contain me if things get out of hand," Gohan replied.

"Cool! So, after breakfast then…?" Kuroka cut in, her playful grin showing. Once again, Gohan sighed.

"I mean… if you all insist."

It seemed he wasn't going to be able to get out of this one so easily.

* * *

**A/N:**

**A point of contention for some might be that Gohan is getting his tail back. No, that does not mean Super Saiyan Four is going to be a thing in this story. I have other ideas in store that will be revealed next chapter.**

**Cheers for reading. Hope to see you all soon. Ideally, not another year from now! ;)**


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